McConnell Dowell, in joint venture with our subsidiary Built Environs, was selected by DefenceSA to deliver the Common User Facility (CUF) project. The CUF project forms part of Techport Australia – the country's premier naval industry hub being developed at Osborne, South Australia.  The facility will support Australian Submarine Corporation to deliver the Royal Australian Navy’s next generation $8 billion Air Warfare Destroyers (AWD) and attract other shipbuilding and repair opportunities.

The Common User Facility consists of three key areas:

• Marine works encompassing a wharf 213 m long and 25 m wide, and dredged access to the Port River shipping channel
• A runway and dry berth supporting ship construction and repair. This includes a rail based transfer system enabling module and vessel movement around the facility. A full range of utility services are available via an underground reticulation system including electricity; potable water; cooling water; cutting and welding gases; and compressed air
• Australia’s largest shiplift capable of supporting a vessel up to 9,300 t. The shiplift pocket is 156 m long and 34 m wide, and lifts the ships 18 m into and out of the water. The shiplift has the potential for future expansion to 210 m long and 22,000 t lifting capacity.

The adjacent Port River is home to dolphins and other marine life, and the project team has developed and put in place stringent environmental controls to ensure minimal impact on the river's ecology.

The CUF project is an Early Contract Involvement project with McConnell Dowell working with our partners, designers and DefenceSA to develop the final design and target cost. The project is now a lump sum contract.