Foreign companies lobby for Australian submarine contract in Adelaide

Staff, ABC News
30 September 2015

European submarine building delegations are in Adelaide to tour the city's shipbuilding facilities as the bidding process to build Australia's next fleet continues.
The public relations campaign is targeting government and suppliers as the Federal Government undertakes an international Competitive Evaluation Process for the lucrative defence contract.
Representatives from German firm TKMS will tour the shipyards at Osborne this morning.
The group includes Germany's Chief of Navy Vice-Admiral Andreas Krause.
A public forum will be held by their French rivals, DCNS Group, at the Convention Centre tonight to outline the job prospects for South Australia if it is chosen for the future navy submarine project.
A delegation from the Danish business, Odense Maritime Technology, is also to visit the shipyards with a view to being part of the Future Frigates project.
DCNS chief executive Shaun Costello told 891 ABC Adelaide that while the decision on which company would build the submarines was entirely with the Federal Government, the French delegation wanted to inform the public about its proposal and needs.
"This is all about making sure the Australian public has the necessary information to understand how the project will unfold," Mr Costello said.
"We will need to train people in Adelaide. We will need to engage with the supply chain. We will need to spend a lot of company money and take a lot of French and Australian people forward with us."
He said if granted the project, it would create 2,900 direct jobs in Adelaide with flow opportunities further down the supply chain.
Bidders out to secure subs contract
Acting Defence Industries Minister Kyam Maher said the State Government had meet with the German group which had reiterated its preference to build the submarines in Australia.
"They have a long history of building submarines, not just in Germany but building them in other countries, for other countries, which is what we think should happen with the Australian build," Mr Maher said.
Mr Maher said the competing bidders were doing all they could to secure the contract.
"We think it's a very positive sign that we're now seeing all the consortiums very interested in what Adelaide has to offer and our capacity to build submarines."
Last week Federal Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said another project contender, a Japanese company, was open to an Australian build process.
He said the French, Japanese and Germans were prepared to offer a local build option.
He said all three countries were preparing hybrid and overseas build proposals too, but the bidders are aware the Federal Government wants the submarines to be constructed in Australia.