BMT and Austal sign strategic agreement to strengthen ship design and engineering capacity in International Shipping News 20/06/2026 BMT and Austal have signed a strategic agreement to provide scalable ship design and engineering capability, supporting the delivery of shipbuilding programs. The agreement establishes an enterprise-level framework that enables Austal to access specialist resources as project demands fluctuate and creates a dedicated platform for closer collaboration on commercial ship projects – an area of shared strategic priority for both organisations. Under the agreement, effective this month, BMT will provide naval architecture and engineering services to support the delivery of ship design and technical integration activities. This scalable model enables Austal to respond efficiently to peak project requirements, reducing schedule risk while maintaining focus on core shipbuilding operations. The collaboration also opens a structured pathway for joint pursuit of commercial vessel projects, bringing together independent ship design expertise, including an extensive portfolio of specialist ship designs and proven shipbuilding capability to support faster, more competitive delivery for customers. Both organisations intend to leverage this agreement to jointly pursue new market opportunities, reinforcing a long-standing working relationship between Australia’s strategic shipbuilder and its largest independent ship design capability, while also focusing on commercial and export shipbuilding sectors and supporting sustainable pipeline growth for both businesses. Graeme Nayler, Managing Director at BMT, said: “This agreement means a great deal to us and reflects the strong mutual value we see in working with Austal. BMT has built its reputation over decades by supporting primes and shipbuilders in delivering complex maritime capability through deep, trusted relationships across the shipbuilding community, and Austal represents exactly the kind of forwar