Current facilities at Osborne have firmed as the likely location for the nation’s subs build

The best place to house Australia’s new nuclear submarines looks like Adelaide, says the man at the helm of the navy’s Nuclear-Powered Submarine Task Force.

The Port River’s existing Osborne submarine manufacturing site is firming as the likely home for the Navy’s much larger SA-built nuclear vessels.

After inspecting the site on Wednesday, Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead, chief of the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Task Force said, pending a site inspection by US and UK officials, the current location was more likely than others in the Port River or elsewhere.

He said the nuclear vessels required deeper water and were longer, but preliminary indications were that Osborne could be used as a location.

“The Prime Minister has made the commitment that he wants the submarines built in SA, maximising workers in SA,” he said.

“It is our intent that will be at (the existing) Osborne site, but we need to bring in international experts to look at options. I think it is likely that the site will be Osborne.

Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead.

“Whether we need to acquire more land that abuts on to the current footprint is yet to be determined. I certainly believe that Osborne will be the site.”

Land to the north of the current Osborne site is the Mutton Cove Nature Reserve, there is vacant land to the west and maritime services industries to the south.

Task force members today met with Defence SA executives, Australian Naval Infrastructure officials and Premier Steven Marshall.

Independent Senator for South Australia and former submariner Rex Patrick said there were still many questions to be answered about nuclear facilities as close to the city as Osborne.

“There needs to be a decision on whether the Port River is suitable for nuclear vessels,’’ he said.

“For a start the river depth and width has to be safe to navigate for the much larger nuclear vessels.

“We know that no nuclear warship has ever been given permission to enter the Port River.”

Experts are also exploring whether a site well north of the current location would be safer in the case of a nuclear accident, and more acceptable to residents on the Lefevre Peninsula.

The Osborne shipyard. Picture: Supplied

Vice Admiral Mead said it was “too early” to say what buildings could be repurposed at Osborne, or what could be done with the extensive materials such as steel sheeting now surplus from the French Naval Group submarine build.

“It is too early to say what infrastructure at Osborne can be reused from the current projects,” he said.

“We need to bring in experts from the US and the UK and look at the shipyard to see if it can cope with a larger and deeper submarine.”

Admiral Mead said a project to retain as many current submarine jobs as possible in a “talent pool” had also progressed.

So far 563 workers had applied to be rehomed or re-skilled, 281 had been contacted, 135 offers made and 105 accepted.