WEST Australian shipbuilder Austal Ships is to embark on a major expansion to upgrade its shipyard facilities to meet rapidly rising demand for fast ferries, especially from China.
Austal chairman John Rothwell said the additional facilities, which were to adjoin its yard at Jervoise Bay near Perth, would give Austal the capacity to build another two 50-metre vessels and two 100-metre vessels.
''Our current facilities only enable us to build four 50-metre vessels at any one time,'' he said, adding that Austal built eight vessels for the China market last year.
Austal has a second inland yard, about 500 metres from the first yard.
Employment at the two yards, which stood at 220 people, would increase to 450 after the expansion, Mr Rothwell said.
Since opening in 1988, the shipbuilder has established a reputation as a designer and builder of high-speed aluminium craft. It exported close to US$40 million worth of vessels to China last year.