By Colin Packham

SYDNEY, April 18 (Reuters) – Australia will pace up plans to construct extra naval vessels in home shipyards, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stated on Monday, making an announcement that might discover favour with voters simply weeks forward of a possible federal election.

Naval shipbuilding is a key a part of a plan unveiled in February to spice up defence spending by practically A$30 billion ($23.02 billion) over the subsequent 10 years.

To pace up the plan, the development of 12 offshore patrol vessels, value A$3 billion ($2.30 billion) would now begin in 2018, Turnbull stated, although the federal government has nonetheless to award the contract.

“Putting our navy in the right situation to keep us safe and putting our naval ship building industry in the right place to build the ships we need for the future is a great national endeavour,” Turnbull advised reporters.

“It will directly secure more than 2,500 jobs for decades to come.”

Construction of the offshore patrol vessels will begin in Adelaide, the state capital of South Australia, and be accomplished in Western Australia.

Opinion polls present ebbing assist for Turnbull’s Liberal Party, forward of an election more likely to be held on July 2, and South Australia may very well be a key battleground state.

Three personal corporations – Dutch based mostly Damen Shipyards, German corporations Fassmer and Lürssen – have been shortlisted to construct the offshore patrol vessels, Turnbull stated.

The timetable for different vessels was unaltered, however Turnbull stated it could entail extra work for Adelaide’s shipyards.

BAE Systems, Fincantieri and Navantia have been shortlisted as most well-liked bidders for the development of 9 frigates that can be inbuilt Adelaide, he stated.

The orders are anticipated to be value greater than A$35 billion.

The prime minister stated Austal Ships Pty Ltd was chosen as the popular bidder for a contract to assemble and preserve as much as 21 Pacific patrol boats. The boats could be inbuilt Western Australia and the challenge was valued at round A$500 million, he added.

While saying particulars of Australia’s naval delivery plans, Turnbull refused to touch upon questions concerning a proposed A$50 billion contract to purchase 12 submarines.

Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, French state-owned builder DCNS Germany’s ThyssenKrupp are vying for the contract. ($1 = 1.3034 Australian {dollars}) (Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016.