Toll North to transport AWD modules - Australian Defence Magazine

The Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance has signed a $25 million contract with Toll North Pty Ltd for the transport of 66 modules by sea from Newcastle and Melbourne to Adelaide where they will be consolidated into Australia's three Hobart Class AWDs.

Hull block production is underway at ASC in Adelaide, BAE Systems in Melbourne and Forgacs in Newcastle.

The completed blocks will be transported on a barge from the Melbourne and Newcastle shipyards to Adelaide.

Each ship comprises 31 modules which will be transported in groups, with 15 trips from Melbourne and eight from Newcastle.

By mid-2011, the blocks will begin to arrive at the Common User Facility at Adelaide's Techport for consolidation into the complete warship.

The project is on track to deliver the first AWD, HMAS Hobart, in December 2014.

HMAS Brisbane is scheduled for delivery in March 2016 and HMAS Sydney in June 2017.