The rapidly growing Whiskey Project Group has hit the deck running in both Australia and the United States. Its Naiad-designed and Yamba Welding-built aluminium rescue RIBs, especially, can be seen all over eastern Australia, particularly in New South Wales.
Ever improving and ever more refined and ranging in size from seven to 13 metres, they are practically de rigeur in Marine Rescue NSW's first rate fleet of high speed SAR craft that includes both diesel waterjet- and outboard-powered boats.
"The development of Woolgoolga 30 provided us an opportunity to work with key partner agencies to meet their unique needs, and ultimately delivering cutting-edge craft to the waterway users in our region," Ryan Carmichael, The Whiskey Project Group's (TWPG) Co-Founder and Managing Director for Business Development and Strategic Growth, told Baird Maritime. "The extensive collaboration over nearly three years between our design and fabrication teams and Marine Rescue NSW personnel was essential for this project to ensure that a truly fit-for-purpose solution was delivered."
The RIB operates in a unique environment that requires it to be launched over a shallow gradient beach with no accessible ramps between the water and the rescue base. This required the whole project team to consult closely to understand the priority design drivers to ensure the end product was the optimal rescue craft for the region, whilst staying within the budget, the scope, and the timeline of the client.
"We went back to the drawing board on multiple occasions, but we came through in the end, with the vessel dubbed 'the best ever' by one of the zone managers."
Carmichael added that TWPG is experienced in providing high-performance watercraft that places the operator at the centre of the design process, with benefits such as ergonomics, shock mitigation, noise reduction, and crew comfort being standard as opposed to optional features on boats being built.
"Whilst operator protection is not currently directly regulated, commercial operators are obliged under various workplace health and safety regulations to ensure a safe workplace, and its anticipated that these will soon make their way into the industry bodies."
TWPG saw steady growth throughout 2023 across each of the three sectors it operates in, namely, defence, emergency services, and leisure. The company was awarded its first contract with the US Department of Defense in the middle of the year for the supply of watercraft for rapid trials and development.
"We also saw good growth with our key clients in the rescue and emergency services sector on the East Coast of Australia, such as Marine Rescue NSW, NSW State Emergency Service, and Queensland Fire and Emergency Service. We strive to be one of the leading suppliers of government and emergency services vessels in both Australia and New Zealand."
Carmichael added that the group is pursuing a number of growing opportunities for specialist small craft in the defence and paramilitary markets worldwide due to the declining strategic environment and the focus on maritime capability uplift, particularly in Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions. He claimed both Naiad and Whiskey watercraft are well suited to support these requirements.
"We are seeing the leading rescue organisations recapitalising their fleets with highly capable and technologically advanced craft, due to the surge in environmental disasters and extreme weather patterns that have particularly affected Australia in the past few years," he told Baird Maritime. "These therefore demand a higher level of capability from these agencies."
Carmichael remarked that there is a steady trend towards alternative fuel and hybrid propulsion, as all users seek to reduce emissions and operate more efficiently as a result of the inflation costs affecting materials and fuel. The group is also continuing to grow its capabilities in technology integration and maritime autonomy as demand for this becomes more widespread across multiple sectors.
"We also continue to see demand for local Australian content in our government and agency programs, and so TWPG will continue to invest in local manufacturing capabilities, including across our supply chain. With the inflation in costs and shipping over the last few years, some clients are starting to ask for longer lives out of their vessels, with one option being the incorporation of mid-life upgrades to get 15-plus years out of a hull as opposed to selling it on at the 10-year mark. TWPG's high quality of construction and material quality management ensures that we can support these craft through their full life expectancy."