Article

Babcock Australasia has successfully trialed a composite repair technology on ships from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), significantly reducing maintenance times from months to days. The Fiber Reinforced Polymer method provides a permanent alternative to steel, enabling repairs without hot works and even underwater.

The technology was tested on HMNZS Aotearoa, HMNZS Te Mana, and HMAS Ballarat, addressing issues like corrosion and deck renewals. Repairs on Aotearoa were completed in eight days, a drastic improvement from the four to six months required by conventional methods, and received Lloyd's class approval within 24 hours.

Babcock collaborated with FUZE to enhance both scheduled and emergency maintenance. These trials support ongoing modernization efforts by the RAN and RNZN, including a $2-billion navy maintenance contract and the Frigate Sustainment Communications project aimed at improving operational readiness.