Purpose-Built Commercial Workboats for River Murray Operations
Baldwin Boats was commissioned by SA Water to design and construct a new fleet of 5-metre aluminium workboats for the River Murray Operations Unit, replacing an ageing fleet and addressing key work health and safety (WHS) concerns.
Purpose-built for the unique demands of River Murray operations, the vessels provide a stable, versatile and practical platform for crews working around locks, weirs and waterways throughout South Australia.
The design incorporates a number of features specifically developed around the day-to-day requirements of the River Murray Operations team, including a front loading ramp with electric winch for safely loading equipment such as pressure washers, and dual side access doors to assist with buoy line maintenance and servicing around river infrastructure.
Powered by a 115hp Mercury SeaPro, the vessels provide the performance and reliability required for commercial operations, while the side console configuration and multiple seating options provide flexibility for different crew and operational requirements.
Each vessel is based on an OceanTech 5m No Survey vessel kit, with the complete vessel constructed, fitted out, wired and rigged by Baldwin Boats. The boats feature a sealed hull design, full electronics package, UHF and GME communications, Celfi mobile signal booster, Narva lighting and full AMSA safety equipment.
Vessel Specifications & Features
- 5m OceanTech vessel kit
- Commercial aluminium workboat
- Fully constructed and fitted out by Baldwin Boats
- Sealed hull design
- 115hp Mercury SeaPro outboard
- Side console configuration
- Front loading ramp with electric winch
- Dual side access doors
- Multiple crew seating options
- Full in-house electrical and electronics fit-out
- UHF & GME radios
- Celfi mobile signal booster
- Narva lighting
- Full AMSA safety equipment
Built for the Job
The vessels have been designed to support a wide range of River Murray Operations duties, including water quality monitoring, salinity testing, buoy maintenance, lock and weir inspections, crew transport and general waterway maintenance.
The result is a modern commercial workboat that combines stability, accessibility, durability and performance, while directly addressing the practical requirements of the crews who operate them.
An Ongoing Partnership with SA Water
We’re proud to have developed an ongoing partnership with SA Water and their River Murray Operations team, with multiple vessels already delivered and vessels #9 and #10 currently under construction.
This project is a great example of Baldwin Boats’ ability to develop and deliver purpose-built commercial vessels for specialised operational requirements, with each boat constructed and fitted out in-house in Mildura.
Baldwin Boats | Commercial vessels built for the job.
