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John Rothwell AO, the founder and long time chairman of the world’s largest aluminium shipbuilder, the Australian public company Austal, has stepped down from his role as chairman. He will, however, remain a director of the company indefinitely. John has been succeeded as chairman by former United States Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer.
I first met John in 1978 when his original company, Star Boats, became one of the first customers of Baird Publications. Operating out of not much more than a garage in suburban Perth, Star Boats was then building small aluminium lobster fishing and workboats of about eight metres LOA.
John always had plenty of energy, ability and vision, and Star Boats grew rapidly, building ever larger, mostly lobster, boats as the West Australian lobster fishing industry boomed through the 1980s. Always operating very correctly and in a carefully planned way, the company soon moved to waterfront premises at Henderson, south of Fremantle. John and his company were a pleasure to deal with.
After about a decade, Star became Austal Ships and started building larger vessels, crew/supply boats, patrol boats and, soon, increasingly impressive and large fast ferries. The company was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and purchased some of its competitors, notably Image Marine and yacht builder Oceanfast.
With Austal inspired, or perhaps goaded, by its equally ambitious and successful competitor, Robert Clifford’s Incat Tasmania, both companies rode the global fast ferry boom of the 1990s. They soon jointly dominated that market globally as, indeed, they still do.
While continuing to build large fast ferries at its yards in Henderson, the Philippines, and Vietnam as well as a joint venture in China, Austal began to enter the US defence market. From its Alabama yard, it was soon producing its magnificent Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) as well as fast and very useful logistics vessels for the US Navy.
It has been quite a ride for both John Rothwell and Austal. Now, with his company in the sights of at least two enthusiastic purchasers, and at the age of eighty, it is probably a good time for John to step back a little.
