Babcock NZ wins Minister of Defence Strategic Partnership Award

Babcock New Zealand has been named the winner of the Strategic Partnership Award in the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence to Industry, with the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting Babcock’s efforts in going above and beyond to support the New Zealand Defence Force throughout the pandemic response. Prior to the nationwide lockdowns being announced, Babcock New Zealand worked to develop a business continuity plan, together with Defence Logistics Command (Maritime), introducing a system to split the entire Navy dockyard in half, enhancing the safety of operations for people working on-site, and enabling essential ongoing vessel maintenance and service to take place during the pandemic. Babcock New Zealand delivers the engineering support and capability sustainment for the Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN) fleet of ships through asset management, maintenance, repair, overhaul, design development and project management. Managing Director Babcock New Zealand Chris Saxby said the focus was on safely dovetailing essential maintenance and repair with the operational requirements for the fleet. “The biggest challenge was ensuring that we didn’t get community transmission in the dockyard as this would affect not only our dockyard workforce, but also the sailors who work here on board the Navy’s ships. Splitting our work teams into primarily red and green groups, with separate shifts and allocated workshop areas servicing specific ships reduced the risk of potential cross-team transmission”. Logistics Commander Maritime, RNZN Captain Mark Worsfold said Babcock ‘came through with flying colours’ with a business continuity plan that maintained the fleet’s capability regardless of the lockdown situation. “Not only did we have to protect our sailors, but we had to protect the continuity of capability because our ships can be called upon to do anything at any time,” he said. “The Babcock relationship with the New Zealand Defence Force is very forward-leaning, they were with us all the way. Together, throughout our response to the pandemic, we didn’t compromise the safety of our people or our ability to support the Navy.” Babcock New Zealand was among eight businesses recognised by the Chief of Defence Force, Air Marshal Kevin Short, and the Secretary of Defence, Andrew Bridgman, in a joint statement. An awards event planned for March to announce and celebrate the winners was cancelled due to COVID-19. In its place, Defence officials will meet the winners in a series of bespoke events. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Kym Bergmann at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Director of Sales Graham Joss at [email protected]