Sentinel Boats wins top manufacturing award

Tasmanian ship builder Sentinel Boats has been recognised at the inaugural Australian Manufacturing Awards, securing the Defence Award at a gala event in Sydney last week. Sentinel Boats was one of four finalists and won the Defence category on the night. Key to its success was a focus on boosting Australia’s sovereign defence capability, innovative use of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) as a premium boatbuilding material, and its impact on the growth of regional manufacturing.

Sentinel was judged on standout achievements including:

• Delivery of two Sentinel 830R vessels to Ukraine as part of Australia’s military aid, showcasing Australian manufacturing internationally,
• Named 2023 Defence Prime Contractor of the Year in New Zealand for its delivery of three high-speed Littoral Manoeuvre Craft (LMCs),
• A new major contract strengthening regional defence cooperation with the Royal New Zealand Navy, replacing its sea boat fleet with 17 new vessels,
• Long-term lease arrangements and tenders with the Australian Defence Force (ADF),
• End-to-end Australian production with the vessels designed by One2three Naval Architects and constructed by the team in Tasmania, representing a complete sovereign capability in maritime defence manufacturing,
• Supporting veteran employment and integrating military expertise into civilian manufacturing,
• Innovation in HDPE vessel construction which offers superior durability for lower maintenance and longer operational life, and impact resistance for crew safety,
• Partnership with TAFE to create an HDPE welding course addressing skills gaps in plastic fabrication, and significant investment in apprenticeships and workforce development, and
• Operating on 100 percent renewable energy, and HDPE is fully recyclable.

CEO George McGuire said Sentinel Boats was proud to be building on Tasmania’s long maritime heritage and innovating for the future. “We’re using our generations of knowledge forged in the harshest Southern Ocean environments and combining this with our expertise in advanced High-Density Polyethylene manufacturing, making Sentinel Boats the world-leader in HDPE high performance boat building,” McGuire said. “That means cutting-edge tactical watercraft, currently in service with domestic and international defence, law enforcement and rescue operators. We’re strong believers in the federal government’s Future Made in Australia agenda and will be pushing hard to see that realised – in our case, through helping to secure Australia’s sovereign capabilities by building world-leading naval sea boats and other tactical watercraft. We’re strengthening our nation’s defence, and at the same time building our skilled manufacturing and export capabilities. “While this award recognises our manufacturing of boats for Defence clients, we’re also proud to have vessels in service with police, rescue services, commercial operators and state emergency services across Australia.”

For Editorial Inquiries Contact:
Editor Kym Bergmann at kym.bergmann@venturamedia.net
For Advertising Inquiries Contact:
Group Sales Director Simon Hadfield at simon.hadfield@venturamedia.net