Opened jointly by relevant WA state government ministers, Lands Minister Brendon Grylls and Commerce Minister Troy Buswell, the $60-million dock was built by local firm Strategic Marine, based on a German design.
The 99-metre dock, able to lift 12,000 tonnes from the water and transfer up to 3,500 tonnes from water to land, is stage one of a larger floating dock development that AMC hopes to bring into service over the coming years.
If stages two and three come together as planned by AMC, the dock will be able to handle the LHD.
The dock is also unique in that it can move in more than one direction, and is largely automated.
The dock, situated at the AMC-managed CUF, will allow the facility to be used by a range of industries including marine, gas and oil, defence, and mining, and is expected to generate billions of dollars of work in the state in the coming decades.
ASC West will use the new system to bring in HMAS Farncomb in March to examine the generator issues the boat has suffered.