Addressing a Senate estimates committee hearing yesterday, ASC Shipbuilding chief executive Mark Lamarre said the workers would finish between now and the end of next year as work on the Air Warfare Destroyer wound up.

They include both contractors and ongoing employees.

Prime Minister Turnbull announced in Adelaide last month that the navy’s new Offshore Patrol Vessels would be built at ASC from 2018. However, that build is expected to be less labour-intensive than the AWD project, employing about 500 workers compared to 1200.