Civmec
Civmec is an Australian-Singaporean engineering, construction, fabrication and shipbuilding company serving resource, infrastructure, marine and defence customers.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Civmec Limited is an engineering and construction group headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. The company operates across heavy engineering, structural steel fabrication, construction, maintenance, shipbuilding and defence infrastructure. Its work has supported customers and contractors in the oil and gas, mining, energy, civil infrastructure, marine and defence sectors, with a particular concentration on large, technically complex projects requiring substantial fabrication capacity and site-based delivery capabilities. The business was established in 1990 and became part of the VDM Group in 2006. A management buyout returned Civmec to independent ownership in 2009. The company entered public markets through a Singapore Exchange listing in 2012 and later became dual-listed when its shares were admitted to the Australian Securities Exchange on 22 June 2018. In September 2024, Civmec announced that its parent company had been redomiciled from Singapore to Australia, aligning the corporate domicile more closely with its principal operating base. Civmec's principal industrial footprint is in Australia. Its major facilities are located at Henderson in Western Australia and Newcastle in New South Wales, with regional facilities in Gladstone and Port Hedland. The Henderson site occupies approximately 120,000 square metres and contains a large fabrication plant described in reference material as the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Shipbuilding and maintenance capacity was expanded during 2018 and 2019, producing an undercover facility of approximately 53,000 square metres, described as Australia's largest such facility. Historically, Civmec concentrated heavily on mining and energy-related fabrication and construction. Its project experience included work associated with Shell Australia's Prelude floating liquefied natural gas facility, Chevron's Gorgon and Wheatstone gas projects, Inpex's Ichthys gas development and Woodside Energy's Persephone project. From around 2015, the company broadened its portfolio toward civil and infrastructure work while retaining mining and energy contracts. This diversification led to involvement in major infrastructure projects in Perth and New South Wales and helped establish a platform for defence work. The acquisition of Forgacs Marine & Defence was a major strategic step. Civmec agreed to acquire the business in November 2015 and completed the transaction in February 2016. The purchase added the Forgacs shipyard at Tomago in New South Wales, giving Civmec an east-coast marine manufacturing presence and a potential route into naval programs involving submarines, offshore patrol vessels and frigates. The transaction also resulted in more than 150 job losses, according to the referenced account. Civmec subsequently became involved in naval construction and defence-support infrastructure. In 2018 it began work on Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels for the Royal Australian Navy; the planned quantity was later reduced from twelve vessels to six. In 2020 it commenced construction of a submarine rescue facility at Henderson, including a launch and recovery system, a hyperbaric treatment unit, maintenance and training infrastructure, and a seven-metre-deep pool. The facility was completed in 2021. Civmec has also supplied or fabricated components for prominent Australian infrastructure projects, including the Elizabeth Quay pedestrian bridge, Perth Stadium, Matagarup Bridge, The Kids' Bridge and Boorloo Bridge. In June 2025, Civmec purchased Luerssen's Australian operations, further expanding its position in Australia's marine and defence-industrial ecosystem. Its current profile therefore combines resource-sector engineering heritage with civil infrastructure, shipbuilding, naval support and defence manufacturing capabilities.
History
Civmec was established in 1990 as an engineering and construction business serving industrial customers in Australia. Its early and longstanding areas of activity included heavy fabrication, construction and project support for the mining and energy sectors. In 2006, the company became part of the VDM Group. Three years later, a management buyout returned Civmec to independent ownership. The company's public-market development began with a listing on the Singapore Exchange in 2012. Civmec later broadened its market presence through an Australian Securities Exchange listing on 22 June 2018, becoming dual-listed. In September 2024, the company announced that its parent company had been redomiciled from Singapore to Australia. For much of its earlier operating history, Civmec's project portfolio was closely tied to Australian resources and energy investment. It undertook engineering and fabrication work connected with major developments including Shell Australia's Prelude floating liquefied natural gas facility, Chevron's Gorgon and Wheatstone gas facilities, Inpex's Ichthys gas project and Woodside Energy's Persephone project. These activities established the company's capabilities in large-scale fabrication, modular construction and complex industrial project delivery. Around 2015, Civmec began a deliberate expansion beyond its traditional mining and energy base. It retained resources-related work while pursuing civil and infrastructure projects in Perth and New South Wales. The strategy also included building a marine and defence platform. In November 2015, Civmec agreed to acquire Forgacs Marine & Defence. The acquisition was completed in February 2016 and included the Forgacs shipyard at Tomago in New South Wales. It provided Civmec with an east-coast facility and a basis for pursuing naval construction opportunities, although the transaction was accompanied by more than 150 job losses. Civmec's physical network developed around major Australian facilities. Its headquarters and principal fabrication complex are at Henderson in Western Australia, on a site of approximately 120,000 square metres. The company also operates major facilities in Newcastle and regional facilities in Gladstone and Port Hedland. Expansion at Henderson during 2018 and 2019 created an undercover shipbuilding and maintenance area of approximately 53,000 square metres, described in the reference material as Australia's largest undercover facility of its kind. The company entered a more visible phase in defence contracting in 2018, when it began constructing Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels for the Royal Australian Navy. The original plan covered twelve vessels, but the number was later reduced to six. In 2020, Civmec began constructing a submarine rescue facility at Henderson. The project included a launch and recovery system, a hyperbaric treatment unit, maintenance and training infrastructure, testing facilities and a seven-metre-deep pool. The facility was completed in 2021. Alongside defence work, Civmec delivered or contributed to major civil and public infrastructure projects. Referenced examples include the Elizabeth Quay pedestrian footbridge, steelwork for Perth Stadium, fabrication and painting for Matagarup Bridge, The Kids' Bridge and the Boorloo Bridge. These projects illustrate the company's move from a primarily resources-oriented contractor toward a broader engineering and infrastructure group. In June 2025, Civmec purchased Luerssen's Australian operations. This transaction further extended the company's marine and defence presence in Australia. Civmec's historical development can therefore be understood as a progression from mining and energy fabrication toward a diversified model combining industrial construction, civil infrastructure, shipbuilding, naval programs and specialist defence-support facilities.
- 2025
Luerssen's Australian operations acquired
[1]Civmec purchases Luerssen's Australian operations.
- 2024
Parent company redomiciled to Australia
[1]Civmec announces the redomiciliation of its parent company from Singapore to Australia.
- 2021
Submarine rescue facility completed
[1]The Henderson submarine rescue facility is completed.
- 2020
Submarine rescue facility construction begins
[1]Civmec starts construction of a Royal Australian Navy submarine rescue facility at Henderson.
- 2019
Henderson shipbuilding expansion
[1]Expansion work at Henderson produces a major undercover shipbuilding and maintenance facility.
- 2018
Australian Securities Exchange listing and naval construction
[1]Civmec becomes dual-listed on 22 June and begins construction of Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels for the Royal Australian Navy.
- 2016
Forgacs acquisition completed
[1]Civmec completes the acquisition of Forgacs Marine & Defence and its Tomago shipyard.
- 2015
Diversification toward infrastructure and marine work
[1]Civmec increasingly broadens its project portfolio beyond mining and energy into infrastructure and defence-related opportunities.
- 2012
Singapore Exchange listing
[1]Civmec becomes listed on the Singapore Exchange.
- 2009
Management buyout
[1]A management buyout separates Civmec from the VDM Group.
Products and positioning
An Australian heavy-engineering and construction group positioned around end-to-end fabrication, construction, shipbuilding and maintenance for resource, infrastructure, marine and defence projects.
Engineering and construction services
Heavy engineering and industrial construction
Civmec delivers heavy engineering, fabrication and construction services for large industrial developments. Its historical work has supported mining, oil and gas and energy projects, including fabrication and engineering associated with major Australian resource developments. The offering is based on substantial workshop capacity, project delivery capability and the ability to combine fabrication with site construction and maintenance.
Infrastructure construction
Civil infrastructure
The company's civil infrastructure work includes fabrication, supply, installation and construction for bridges, public facilities and major urban projects. Referenced examples include the Elizabeth Quay pedestrian footbridge, Perth Stadium steelwork, Matagarup Bridge and The Kids' Bridge. This line reflects Civmec's expansion from a predominantly resources-oriented contractor into broader infrastructure delivery.
Marine engineering
Shipbuilding and marine fabrication
Civmec operates shipbuilding and marine fabrication capabilities through facilities including Henderson and Newcastle. The business gained a significant east-coast marine presence through the acquisition of Forgacs Marine & Defence and subsequently expanded its shipbuilding and maintenance infrastructure at Henderson. The capabilities support commercial, government and defence-related vessel programs.
Defence vessels · 2018
Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels
Civmec began constructing Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels for the Royal Australian Navy in 2018. The program was initially described as covering twelve vessels, with the planned quantity later reduced to six. It represents one of the company's principal naval construction activities and demonstrates its transition into defence shipbuilding.
Defence infrastructure · 2020
Henderson submarine rescue facility
This Royal Australian Navy support facility includes a submarine launch and recovery system, a hyperbaric treatment unit, maintenance and training infrastructure, testing capabilities and a seven-metre-deep pool. Civmec began construction in 2020 and completed the facility in 2021.
Civil infrastructure
Boorloo Bridge
Boorloo Bridge is among the Australian infrastructure projects for which Civmec is identified as having carried out fabrication and construction work. It is part of the company's portfolio of public infrastructure and bridge-related delivery activities.
Brand decisions
2025
Purchase Luerssen's Australian operationsM&ABackground
Civmec continued to develop its Australian marine and defence-industrial capabilities.
Action taken
In June 2025, Civmec purchased Luerssen's Australian operations.
Aftermath
The acquisition further expanded Civmec's position in Australian marine and defence activities; detailed operational effects are not specified in the supplied material.
2024
Redomicile the parent company to AustraliaStrategyBackground
Civmec's principal operations and industrial assets are located in Australia, while its parent company had previously been domiciled in Singapore.
Action taken
In September 2024, Civmec announced that the parent company had been redomiciled from Singapore to Australia.
Aftermath
The move changed the group's corporate domicile; no further consequences are specified in the supplied reference material.
2018
Begin Arafura-class vessel constructionProduct launchBackground
The Royal Australian Navy required a new class of offshore patrol vessels, providing Civmec with an opportunity to apply its expanding shipbuilding capabilities.
Action taken
Civmec commenced construction of Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels in 2018.
Aftermath
The planned quantity was later reduced from twelve vessels to six, while the program established Civmec as a participant in Australian naval shipbuilding.
2018
Expand Henderson shipbuilding and maintenance facilitiesStrategyBackground
Civmec needed larger covered capacity to support marine construction and maintenance work.
Action taken
The company expanded its Henderson shipbuilding and maintenance facility during 2018 and 2019.
Aftermath
The expansion created an undercover area of approximately 53,000 square metres, described in the reference material as Australia's largest facility of its kind.
2015
Acquire Forgacs Marine & DefenceM&ABackground
Civmec sought to establish an east-coast marine presence and pursue opportunities involving submarines, offshore patrol vessels and frigates for the Royal Australian Navy.
Action taken
The company agreed terms to purchase Forgacs Marine & Defence in November 2015 and completed the transaction in February 2016, including the Tomago shipyard.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Civmec's marine and defence platform but was associated with more than 150 job losses.
2015
Diversify beyond mining and energyStrategyBackground
Civmec had historically concentrated on mining and energy contracts, while changing market opportunities created an incentive to broaden its customer and project base.
Action taken
The company expanded into civil infrastructure and began developing marine and defence capabilities while continuing to undertake resources-sector work.
Aftermath
Civmec subsequently participated in major infrastructure projects and entered naval construction and defence-support programs.
Sources1 sources
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