- Author
- Editorial Staff
- Subjects
- RAN operations, Infrastructure and Facilities
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- June 2023 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
The findings of a Maritime Strategic Fleet Taskforce may have a considerable bearing on the future of the impoverished Australian maritime industry and be of great benefit. As this may also flow through to impact the Royal Australian Navy it is important that the naval community is aware of these proposals.
Dale Crisp in the Quarterly Journal of the Nautical Association of Australia, Vol. 55 No 4 Issue 230, says:
Following the election of the federal Labor government the promised strategic fleet taskforce was launched on 20 October 2022, to guide the establishment of Australia’s fleet as quickly as possible and provide advice on what legislative or regulatory reforms are necessary to support Australian shipping. The taskforce is chaired by John Mullen, who spent more than five years as Asciano (freight logistics company) managing director and CEO 2011–16 and earlier held executive roles at DHL and TNT Express Worldwide. He has served on the boards of Brambles, Toll Group and Telstra. Members are Maritime Industry Australia CEO and shipping policy specialist Angela Gillham, Maritime Union of Australia national secretary Paddy Crumlin, oil and gas industry logistics specialist Sarah Ryan of Woodside Energy, and Major-General Jason Walk from the Department of Defence (Joint Logistics Command).
The taskforce will deliver its advice to government in two phases, with the first phase to report on high-level strategic objectives by the end of the year. During this phase, shipping, maritime and other stakeholders will be able to make submissions to shape the vision for a strategic fleet through an open public consultation process. This will be followed by a second phase to identify ships options and other needs for a strategic fleet of up to 12 vessels, expected to be complete by June 2023.
This was amplified by Ian Ackerman reporting in the Daily Cargo News (DCN). ‘The Strategic Fleet Taskforce has commenced the second phase of its work and is due to present a final report to government by the end of June this year. The taskforce was announced back in October, and the Federal Government allocated $6.3 million in the current budget to fund its activities. The task force consulted with industry in late 2022, looking to inform its high-level strategic objectives for the fleet. The task force is calling again for industry consultation. This time calling for “proposals options or ideas” for the establishment of the fleet, according to a statement from the task force.’
A spokesperson for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts told DCN that the task force had provided its interim report to the government, which is considering the interim advice. ‘As part of phase one, the task force sought broad stakeholder feedback on a discussion paper that assisted it to undertake an initial strategic needs assessment to help determine strategic needs the fleet could deliver.’
‘As part of phase two, the taskforce is now asking stakeholders to provide specific advice on how a strategic fleet could be established, as well as any measures to help support Australian shipping more broadly. The taskforce is specifically seeking industry views on four points:
s The composition of the strategic fleet,
s Ways the fleet could be established and operate,
s What kind of government assistance would be required to establish the fleet, and
s Whether and to what extent legislation, such as the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012, be amended to support the fleet.
‘The purpose of this broad consultation in phase two is to help the taskforce develop options to put to the Government on how to establish the fleet,’ the departmental spokesperson said. ‘This is intended to provide all interested parties with further opportunities to engage with the taskforce following the phase one consultation. It is expected that the taskforce will undertake further specific consultation as it develops its final report.’
AMSA and RAN enter Flag Administration Agreement
The following comes from Abby Williams again writing in the Daily Cargo News.
‘The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has signed an agreement with the Navy that provides the process to move vessels from Australia’s flag administration to operate under a Defence flag administration. AMSA and Royal Australian Navy said the memorandum of understanding has strengthened the relationship between military and civilian maritime jurisdictions. They said it would also support safety at sea and the delivery of naval capability.’
AMSA CEO Mick Kinley and RAN Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond signed the MoU in Canberra on Thursday 16 February 2023. Mr Kinley said the MoU will enable AMSA to strengthen its maritime responses and operations across a range of situations.
‘The MoU helps the civilian and military regulators to have a mutual understanding of the safety, seaworthiness and environmental compliance of ships with changing jurisdictions to ensure none of these issues are compromised. Vessels operating under Defence’s flag administration have obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and can gain access to the necessary ports, oceans and waterways to deliver missions for the Australian government. This MoU will enable a quick extension of this regime to civilian maritime vessels when the need arises.’
Vice Admiral Hammond said the MoU would provide greater agility for Defence and partner agencies to respond to needs and contingencies in the maritime environment.
‘Australia is a three-ocean island trading nation. Our seaborne supply chains and undersea infrastructure are the lifeblood of our economy – this underpins our way of life as a maritime nation. This MoU is important, as it allows Australia to better harness its resources in advancing the national interest in our maritime region. The agreement will support both Defence and AMSA to uphold Australia’s international obligations for vessel flag administration, while enhancing Defence’s maritime response options in times of national necessity or crisis.’
AMSA and the RAN highlighted Pacific support vessel ADV Reliant as an example of what they expect the MoU to enable. They said ADV Reliant was procured from the commercial market via a rapid acquisition process. The ship was quickly transferred from civilian to Defence flag administration, enabling its ‘timely and flexible’ employment in support of Australia’s Pacific partners.
Acquisition of Normand Jarl
A further press release by the Department of Defence was made on 8 April 2023 which says: ‘The Australian Government is continuing to deliver enhanced maritime capability to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with the procurement of a dedicated Undersea Support Vessel.’
Deputy Secretary Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Tony Dalton said the new acquisition would be used to further advance a range of trials and activities leveraging new technologies in the undersea domain. ‘Defence is demonstrating its commitment to providing a cutting-edge capability, which will expand the ADF’s ability to deliver multiple undersea project outcomes,’ Mr Dalton said.
After a selection process led by an independent broker, the Norwegian flagged MV Normand Jarl has been procured for $110 million and is currently undergoing inspection and certification activities in Singapore before sailing to Australia under an Australian flag later this year. The ship will be renamed Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Guidance. The primary role of ADV Guidance will be to support undersea surveillance systems trials, including the ability to deploy undersea crewed and uncrewed vehicles, and robotic and autonomous systems.
At 107 metres long, 22 metres wide and displacing 7400 tonnes, ADV Guidance will be able to sustain a range of Defence activities due to its modular mission systems, allowing specialist Defence teams and load-outs to be embarked to meet various system trial requirements.
‘ADV Guidance will be instrumental in developing and testing robotic and autonomous underwater systems, ensuring Defence can compete and succeed in a wide variety of complex undersea environments,’ Mr Dalton said.
Summary
It is interesting to speculate what, if any, impacts the findings of the Maritime Strategic Fleet Review and the Flag Administration Agreement may have on the Royal Australian Navy in particular support vessels that are mainly manned by contracted merchant crews and on Australian Defence Vessels, some of which have a mixed manning structure, part Defence, part Border Force and part contracted.
While we wish these initiatives every success care must be taken, and some may recall the days of Prime Minister and former President of the Waterside Workers Union, William (Billy) Morris Hughes. Prime Minister Hughes was responsible for establishing the Commonwealth Line of steamers and, coupled with WWI captured German ships and locally-built vessels a fleet of 54 Australian flagged ships was assembled. This loss-making enterprise resulting in all ships being sold at the expense of the Australian taxpayer.