SSI CEO Denis Morais and Austal USA President Michelle Kruger sign the agreement
Austal USA Expands Digital Transformation with SSI ShipbuildingPLM
Victoria, BC – [December 16, 2025] — SSI, a global leader delivering software, services, and expertise for the business of shipbuilding, today announced that Austal USA, a partner since 2005, will use its ShipbuildingPLM product lifecycle management (PLM) solution to further expand their digital transformation. This decision reflects Austal USA’s pursuit of innovation and operational excellence in shipbuilding, showing how a shipbuilding-specific digital platform can accelerate production, reduce risk, and create a single source of truth across complex programs. By leveraging ShipbuildingPLM, Austal USA is setting a new benchmark for how government shipbuilding programs can move fast, deliver consistently, and continuously improve at every stage of construction.
Since 2005, Austal USA has delivered 34 vessels to the US Navy using SSI ShipConstructor. For Austal USA, ShipbuildingPLM adds data-driven decision-making, streamlined workflows, and secure, traceable information across programs. This solution will serve as the digital thread across all vessels and programs, from U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard vessels to complex steel ships and module production for Virginia- and Columbia-class submarines. By providing a configuration-managed view of each program, ShipbuildingPLM will provide a tool to accelerate production, improve consistency, and reduce project risk.
“Austal USA is an innovative company, with a relentless drive to move forward,” said SSI CEO Denis Morais. “From aluminum U.S. Navy vessels to expanding into complex steel vessels and now submarine modules, Austal USA continues to push boundaries. Their adoption of ShipbuildingPLM reflects a deliberate approach to solving problems at a level not commonly seen in the industry, with a focus on incremental improvements that quickly add value and minimize risk. They move fast, deliver results, and inspire the industry to rethink what digital shipbuilding can achieve.”
“As our shipbuilding portfolio continues to evolve, the strength of our digital systems becomes increasingly important,” said Austal USA President Michelle Kruger. “ShipbuildingPLM supports a connected, controlled, and scalable way of managing vessel data across our business, which directly contributes to schedule confidence and program performance.”
The U.S. government trusts Austal USA to deliver complex programs on time and with high quality, a responsibility the company meets with a culture of speed, innovation, and continuous improvement. The long-standing partnership with SSI ensures Austal USA benefits from SSI’s ongoing platform enhancements, advanced integration capabilities, and dedicated support and professional services teams.
With over 20 years of collaboration, the SSI – Austal USA relationship reflects a shared commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and the future of digital shipbuilding.
About SSI
SSI delivers software, services, and expertise for the business of shipbuilding. For over 35 years, SSI’s globally recognized solutions, including ShipConstructor and ShipbuildingPLM, have supported the design, engineering, construction, and maintenance of shipbuilding projects. SSI’s open Digital Shipbuilding Platform provides a single source of truth for project information across the vessel lifecycle and serves as the hub for other platforms in the shipyard.
Find out more: https://www.ssi-corporate.com
About Austal USA
Austal USA is a ship manufacturer headquartered in Mobile, Ala., with service centers in San Diego and Singapore. The company has also established a technology center in Charlottesville, Va., that oversees and operates the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence, the U.S. Navy’s flagship for additive manufacturing supporting the construction and sustainment of the fleet.
With over one million square feet of indoor manufacturing space and the most modern steel panel line in the shipbuilding industry, Austal USA manufactures both aluminum and steel ships and is under contract for several key maritime defense programs for both the Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Find out more: https://www.austalusa.com