Innovation in marine vessel manufacturing through a trusted supply partnership
Aus Ships Group is a Brisbane-based marine company that uniquely integrates design engineering, naval architecture, and shipbuilding under one roof. Founded over a decade ago, Aus Ships operates two shipyards and a design office in Queensland. This end-to-end capability means Aus Ships can take a project from concept creation to final delivery, including in-house design, new vessel construction, refits, and throughlife maintenance.
The company prides itself on being a one-stop shipbuilding shop, able to deliver complex maritime projects entirely in-house. Aus Ships’ core focus is on commercial vessels, from passenger ferries and tourism craft to government and
high-end luxury vessels. Notably, Aus Ships has delivered ten of Brisbane’s iconic double-decker City Cat ferries for the Brisbane City Council, as well as a 330-passenger high-speed catamaran for Fiji’s South Sea Cruises. This track record of high-profile projects demonstrates Aus Ships’ strong reputation in the marine industry.
Underpinning Aus Ships’ success is a culture of innovation and quality. According to Tommy Ericson, Director of Aus Ships, “We are dynamic and perfectionists in everything we do… driven by quality and our family values of trust and transparency.” This ethos is evidenced by Aus Ships achieving Lloyd’s Register certification – Aus Ships believe they are the only Australian shipyard with this level of marine quality assurance. With strong industry knowledge and a team made up of naval architects, engineers, and skilled tradespeople, Aus Ships has grown into a premier designer-builder of advanced vessels.
Complex vessels and a reliable supply chain
Building modern aluminium vessels is an enormously complex endeavour. Each project involves large quantities of specialty marine-grade aluminium materials, precision fabrication, and tight timelines. For example, a single new City Cat ferry hull and superstructure requires extensive 5083 Aluminium plate and 6082 extrusion – all of which must be cut and formed to exacting standards.
Coordinating this at scale is challenging; Aus Ships often undertakes “multi-phase” builds of multiple vessels in parallel, adhering to rigorous material certification and traceability requirements for every component. Meeting these needs demands a robust supply chain partner who can deliver quality materials, processing services, and documentation seamlessly.
Aus Ships’ partnership with BlueScope Distribution has been a key enabler. Tommy Ericson notes that Aus Ships has worked with BlueScope Distribution for “more than a decade… Over the years, BlueScope Distribution has integrated in with our operations.”
Aus Ships expects several critical requirements from such a supply partner: commercially competitive pricing, high-quality certified materials, accurate processing, complete documentation, and on-time delivery.
Just as importantly, they value excellent communication and reliability. Project Manager Rob Mulrine explains that “good communication and responsiveness are the key to service. If we agree on a delivery timeline, our teams are confident that the product will be delivered as promised by BlueScope Distribution.”
Reliability is paramount, in Rob’s words, “following through on what’s been agreed, especially for large, complex deliveries”; it is essential. Any delay or error in materials could ripple through the tightly scheduled build process of a vessel.
BlueScope Distribution’s integrated supply solution
To meet Aus Ships’ requirements, BlueScope Distribution provides a comprehensive product sourcing and processing solution. Acting as a primary supply partner, BlueScope Distribution delivers all the required materials in ready-to-use form. For Aus Ships’ aluminium vessels, this includes certified marine-grade aluminium plate and extrusions cut precisely to the boat design’s specifications.
“BlueScope Distribution supplies all the aluminium in grade 5083 DNV certified material, which is processed on our router in Brisbane,” explained Sam Paviour, Account Manager, BlueScope Distribution.
“Our programming team assist Aus Ships with design and nesting capabilities, ensuring minimal wastage and then our router cuts out each part with high precision” Sam notes.
Beyond processing, BlueScope Distribution also manages the procurement of various aluminium extrusion profiles needed for Aus Ships’ builds. A ferry project might require dozens of different aluminium extrusions (angles, channels, tubes, etc.) in specific alloys. “The value that we provide is supply chain management. We can be one point of contact to coordinate and process all the aluminium requirements for a boat”, Sam explained.
Through BlueScope Distribution, Aus Ships can receive all pre-cut material and labelled sections ready to be welded together, rather than having to manage multiple suppliers and on-site cutting.
All material comes with full traceability paperwork to satisfy Lloyd’s Register and regulatory standards. The precision router cutting ensures each part fits the design with minimal re-work, preserving Aus Ships’ stringent quality. In Tommy Ericson’s words, “BlueScope Distribution offer quality products and prompt delivery consistently”. The fact that BlueScope Distribution is an Australian company with local Brisbane operations is also a plus, “we always like to support local industry,” notes Tommy.
Rob Mulrine concurs, saying, “We appreciate the value BlueScope Distribution delivers to our supply chain. They procure materials for us and provide a total sourcing solution. This delivers great value to Aus Ships.”
Communication and Trust
A standout aspect of our partnership is the exceptional communication and trust between Aus Ships and BlueScope Distribution. Both companies operate with values that prioritise transparency and open communication. Rob emphasises that “good communication and responsiveness” build the confidence needed for just-in-time delivery in large projects. “BlueScope Distribution’s flexibility and quick response makes a big difference. We need a supplier that can move quickly with us, and they do,” says Rob.
The decade-long relationship has also fostered a strong mutual understanding. BlueScope Distribution’s Account Manager, Sam Paviour and the Brisbane team have deep knowledge of Aus Ships’ business and understand their needs, from stocking commonly used aluminium material to sourcing project specific extrusion profiles for upcoming builds. Sam noted that Aus Ships “Have brought us along on the journey… They have high expectations, but they also understand the broader market and the challenges that can be faced.” This realistic, respectful partnership approach means both sides work proactively to solve problems. “The result is a reliable supply chain that feels like an extension of our own company”, says Tommy Ericson . By having a reliable supply chain, “we deliver on our promises and do what we say we are going to do, when we say we are going to do it”.
Future innovation
Looking ahead, both Aus Ships and BlueScope Distribution are excited about the next chapter. Aus Ships continues to push the envelope in ferry design designing the UK’s first 100% electric ferry and is set to build Australia’s first all-electric ferry as well. BlueScope Distribution will be right there as a partner, ensuring the much-needed aluminium is on hand, processed precisely, and delivered on time.
By providing quality materials, value-added processing, and trustworthy service, BlueScope Distribution has enabled Aus Ships to focus on what they do best – designing and constructing world-class vessels.