ABA Inks USD 150 Mln Shipbuilding Contract with Lagos Government

Treasurer and Minister for Trade, Tim Nicholls today attended the signing of an historic agreement between the Lagos Government and local boat manufacturer, Aluminium Boats Australia (ABA) which is set to boost Queensland’s export dollars by up to $150 million and create 140 local jobs. Mr Nicholls said under the arrangement, Queensland owned Aluminium Boats Australia will supply the Lagos State Government with 60 passenger ferries to transport the city’s workers to and from work and around the Islands.

“This is a huge boost for the Queensland economy, ABA and the local marine industry. The construction of these ferries will also provide additional work for around 18 Queensland companies which supply to the marine industry. These Queensland built passenger ferries will reduce a four hour average commute time for the millions of people living in Lagos to less than 20 minutes. The project will create around 140 jobs and provide a great confidence boost to our local marine and manufacturing industry. This great result is the culmination of a significant amount of work by ABA’s CEO Stuart Pascoe, State and Federal departments both in Australia and Nigeria, in particular Trade Queensland. In addition to the export of the ferries, training will be provided for 350-400 Nigerian boat crew operators in Queensland, coordinated by TAFE and Skills Tech at a value of around $80 million. We are delighted with the Lagos Government’s investment in our local boat manufacturing industry,” Mr Nicholls said.

The contract was signed today at ABA’s headquarters in Hemmant, Brisbane in the presence of Mr Nicholls and the Governor of the State of Lagos, His Excellency the Honourable Babatunde Fashola.

Aluminium Boats Australia (ABA) builds world-class aluminium and composite high performance light craft. Specialising in ferries and leisure craft, using the highest quality materials and latest construction techniques, ABA provides tailored solutions to commercial and private owners alike. From its modern undercover shipyard in Queensland, Australia, ABA has produced a wide range of vessels in monohull, Wave Piercing and standard catamaran form, for a diverse range of customers. ABA also provides service support and engineering solutions across the industry.

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Shipbuilding Tribune Staff, April 19, 2012; Image: allyboats