Australian contractor Clough wins US$286 million deal to build Darwin Shiplift Facility

A digital render of how the Darwin Shiplift Facility will look (Image: Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility)

Australian contractor Clough and joint venture partner BMD have won an A$420 million (US$268 million) contract to build the Darwin Shiplift Facility.

The facility, with wet berths and a hard stand area for ship repair and maintenance works, will serve the Department of Defence, along with commercial and private vessels from the fishing, oil, gas and marine industries.

Commissioned by the Northern Territory government, the Darwin Shiplift Facility will be the biggest in territory.

It will be 26 metres wide and 103 metres long.

It will have the capacity to lift vessels weighing up to 5,500 tonnes, including the new fleet of offshore patrol vessels procured by the Australian Defence Force.

Darwin has the only functional deep water harbour in northern Australia.

Without the shiplift facility, large vessels would need to travel approximately 10 days or more to be serviced elsewhere.

Located in the East Arm precinct, between the Marine Supply Base at the Port of Darwin and the multi-user barge ramp facility at the Marine Industry Park, the project is to be completed in July 2025.

Clough, which owns 50% of the joint venture, is a subsidiary of Italian construction group Webuild.