Developments

Research is underway to explore how maritime sustainment infrastructure can be designed, delivered and operated in a more integrated way.

ASSIST Maritime is establishing an applied engineering and research program through its Engineering and Training Office at the Australian Maritime College (AMC). The program focuses on infrastructure as a complete system, linking design, fabrication, workforce development and operation.

The starting point is practical. Existing shipyard infrastructure is under pressure from larger vessels, increasing sustainment demand and a constrained workforce. The program is intended to examine how a more integrated approach to design, construction and use may improve performance.

The program will bring together industry and research partners to study core systems such as shiplifts, dock gates, heavy lift equipment and modular shipyard configurations. It will also consider fabrication and construction methods, including sequencing, constructability and how design decisions influence build efficiency.

Operation is being treated as part of the engineering problem. The program aims to better understand vessel throughput, maintenance cycles and downtime, and how these outcomes are shaped by early design decisions.

A key focus is the relationship between infrastructure and workforce. Through the Engineering and Training Office, the program will examine how shipyard design influences labour demand, skill requirements and productivity on the ground. It will support the development of training pathways aligned to real delivery environments, including apprenticeships, trade progression and opportunities for new entrants such as veterans and mid-career workers.

The intent is to enable people to build skills while contributing to live projects, reducing the gap between training and productive work. This includes exploring structured, on-site learning models where engineering, fabrication and operations are connected.

Digital engineering will form part of this work, with an intent to link design models with performance data over time. This is expected to support more informed design decisions and improve consistency across projects.

The Engineering and Training Office at AMC is intended to act as an integration point, connecting research, design, workforce development and delivery. Cairncross Dockyard Brisbane is expected to provide a practical environment where aspects of this work can be tested and refined as projects progress.

Material studies, including work led by Giflo Steels Australia, will be considered as one input to this program, particularly in relation to structural efficiency and durability.

The program is at an early stage. It is intended to inform future approaches to infrastructure design, workforce development and delivery, with the aim of supporting more consistent outcomes, reduced risk and improved long-term performance across maritime sustainment systems.