Royal Australian Navy contracts Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas (BV), a  leader in testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services, is working with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to support a component of the Navy’s compliance response to the Defence Seaworthiness Management System (DSwMS). With a long history of supporting naval seaworthiness and global ship construction, BV will support the strengths and capabilities of the RAN to prescribe the naval ‘materiel’ policies and the new standardised naval material rule set for Australia. This framework will provide a necessary ecosystem for the trusted design, build, and commissioning of naval ships now – and into the future – as Australia grows their sovereign shipbuilding capability.

Pierre de Chateau Thierry, Business Director, BV Marine & Offshore in Australasia commenting said: “This is an exciting project for Bureau Veritas. The naval shipbuilding capacity being built in Adelaide and related projects require a strong framework providing the practical foundation for the supply chain and standards. Assisting the Navy develop its DSwMS compliance response is a foundation and we are looking forward to commencing this important and substantial task which also has a challenging delivery timeline. Building modern warships is a complex design, procurement, and supply chain management challenge. We will be focused on helping ensure that the complexity of the challenges involved can be managed in confidence.”

BV has significant expertise and deployable capacity in Australia and overseas to support the RAN, Capability Acquisition & Sustainment Group (CASG) and the naval shipyards. As a global group with 78,000 employees BV goes way beyond traditional marine classification – with leading expertise in complex asset management; building and infrastructure; consumer products; agri-food; safety certification; and supply chain assurance activities. An example is the dedicated Bureau Veritas Aeronautics and Space division able to provide overarching regulatory and certification oversight, insight, and experience in support of the development of naval ship and aviation requirements into the future.

Pierre de Chateau Thierry continued: “We are far more than a classification society, but this project will also draw on our core marine technology capabilities in hull systems, propulsion, electrical systems, ship survivability, stability and trimming, submarine systems, and control systems. We combine the best of marine and other industries to provide the sophisticated capabilities required.

“To support its activities focused on the sovereign shipbuilding projects, Bureau Veritas is opening a new Liaison and Support office with dedicated staff, located in Adelaide’s new Defence & Space Innovation Precinct. If we are going to be a key player in the ecosystem we need to be in that ecosystem.”