Norship

by | Sep 22, 2026 | Member Spotlight | 0 comments

For Chief Executive Officer Olav Groot, Norship is about more than ships – it’s about people, capability and the incredible lifestyle of Far North Queensland.
A marine engineer by trade, Olav has been with Norship in Cairns for 11 years and says the people are what he loves most about the business. With about 200 staff, Norship is an important part of Cairns’ established marine industry specialising in repair, maintenance, ship building and fleet support.
Olav believes Cairns can play a much greater role in Australia’s Defence and national security strategy, particularly as the focus turns to building resilience and industrial capability across Northern Australia.
“Strengthen the North and you strengthen the Pacific.”
With Cairns’ established workforce, infrastructure and decades of shipbuilding expertise, Olav believes the region has a strong foundation to build on.
He also sees opportunities through the Land 8710 program and the development of the Cairns Common User Facility.
As Olav says: “It takes a long time to develop a viable marine precinct; it doesn’t happen overnight.”
That’s why investing in the industry, skills and infrastructure we already have is so important.
A big thank you to Olav for sharing the Norship story and continuing to contribute to the strength and capability of our region.
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