Rough seas for RSV Nuyina after icebreaker suffers electrical fault a day before Hobart arrival
The Australian Antarctic Division has revealed it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for its new icebreaker with a hiccup reported moments before its arrival into Hobart last week. DETAILS >>
Tasmania
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It’s been revealed the RSV Nuyina’s journey to Hobart wasn’t all smooth sailing, after the ship suffered an electrical fault last week.
The new icebreaker, which replaces the decommissioned Aurora Australis, sailed into Hobart on Saturday after a five week long voyage, travelling 24,000km from Europe.
But Australian Antarctic Division has confirmed a hiccup one day before the ship arrived.
“The crew on-board RSV Nuyina were alerted to a fault in the electrical system that powers a propulsion motor on the port shaft line,” an Australian Antarctic Division spokesman said.
“After assessing the issue, it was decided the ship could safely use the starboard propulsion system to enter port on Saturday morning, without needing an external tug to assist.
“Repair of this electrical fault will be covered under warranty provisions in the contract.”
The spokesman said despite the electrical fault, the vessel will still be on track for its first voyage south at the end of December.
“There was no impact on the delivery voyage to Hobart and there is no impact anticipated for future voyages,” the spokesman said.
“RSV Nuyina is designed to operate in the harsh and remote Antarctic environment and has a high level of redundancy across all its critical infrastructure systems.
“Issues like this are not unexpected over the next two years, as the process of commissioning the vessel and its systems occurs.”
The completion of the $538m vessel was delayed by two years, due to the pandemic.
The Nuyina has the capacity to carry 32 crew and 117 expeditioners on board for voyages up to three months long.
It’s expected to make between four and six trips to Antarctica per year.
The 160 metre long vessel will remain in port for the next two months while further work is undertaken.
‘Awe-inspiring vessel’ welcomed to home port
BELOVED media personality and science commentator Dr Karl Kruszelnicki has shared his excitement over the arrival of RSV Nuyina to Tasmanian shores.
A clip on the Australian Antarctic Division website shows the popular author sharing his message welcoming the arrival of the new icebreaker.
“Antarctica is the absolutely most awe-inspiring place, and so to get there you need awe-inspiring vessels,” he said.
“It’s going to be fascinating to follow Nuyina’s research activities in Antarctica and in the Southern Ocean and to learn more about the capabilities of the vessel itself.”
The $538m boat arrived at Hobart’s waterfront on Saturday after much anticipation, with the ship’s journey from the Netherlands delayed by two years during the pandemic.
Dr Kruszelnicki, more commonly known simply as Dr Karl, was happy to share the news Nuyina would “call Hobart its new home port”.
“So, welcome to Australia, Nuyina,” he said.
“You rock.”
RSV Nuyina replaces the “orange roughy” icebreaker Aurora Australis, which became an iconic and sentimental fixture of Hobart’s waterfront for more than 30 years before its departure to Dubai last December.
Nuyina will remain in its port for the next two months while Serco undertakes works on the mammoth ship.
Voyages to Antarctica are expected to begin in December.
‘Swiss Army knife of ships’: New Antarctic icebreaker Nuyina arrives
CAPTAIN Gerry O’Doherty is “elated but a little exhausted” after a 20,000km delivery voyage that has culminated in the arrival of Hobart’s newest crowning glory.
The Antarctic icebreaker RSV Nuyina – the “Swiss Army knife of ships” – finally arrived in port on Saturday.
While southern Tasmania’s snap lockdown threw a wet blanket over the expected pomp and ceremony, the state’s scientific community is nonetheless thrilled about the arrival of the state-of-the-art, “no holds-barred big”, $538 million vessel.
Captain O’Doherty, upon his arrival in Hobart following the six-week voyage from the Netherlands, praised the ship’s beauty and power.
“It’s easy to control. It’s got so much power in the thrusters, it’s got huge rudders, big propellers. It’s really easy to drive,” he said.
“It’s a beautiful ship and looks fantastic on the waterfront, and takes up quite a bit of it too.”
He said Hobart had been waiting for the ship a long time – two years later than expected, with Covid complicating plans.
“Like the other icebreakers and Antarctic vessels and research vessels that come here, it gives Hobart a strong identity and connection with the Southern Ocean and with the Antarctic. People strongly identify with it,” he said.
Captain O’Doherty said the ship would spend the next eight weeks on the Hobart waterfront as it underwent preparations and “final touches” by operators Serco.
The Australian Antarctic Division will then take over activities, preparing it with equipment, staffing and operational requirements.
“More than anything else, I’m looking forward to seeing sea ice, icebergs, penguins, the environment itself,” Captain O’Doherty said.
“I’m (also) really looking forward to seeing the extra performance and capability of this ship. I have no doubt it will be pushing aside and breaking ice much easier than I could have ever imagined.
“I think one of the things I like about it the most is it’s no-holds-barred big; there’s been nothing spared in terms of whether it’s the lifting capacity of the cranes, whether it’s the size of capability of the heli-deck and the hangar, the science deck is enormous.”
AAD Director Kim Ellis said the ship would begin operations in December, with its first commissioning voyages to deliver cargo and fuel.
It will then return to Hobart before voyaging to Mawson Station and Macquarie Island.
“This ship is also about the future. It’s been designed as a modular science platform. It will allow us to continue to develop the ship to deliver science, some of which we haven’t even thought of, over the next 30 years to meet Australia’s national interests,” he said.
“It’s a remarkable contribution to Australia’s presence and influence in the Antarctic.
“It is part of the Tasmanian landscape, and over the next 30 years, it will become one of those iconic elements in the port of Hobart.”
Mr Ellis also lauded the ship’s power and capabilities.
“It’s an incredibly powerful icebreaker that will allows us to operate in enormous conditions. It’s capable of handling 14-metre waves, which means it can operate in the worst that the Southern Ocean can throw at us,” he said.
“It’s got incredible redundancy built into it, which allows us to continue to operate no matter the weather or conditions.”
The ship’s arrival was also celebrated by the country’s key leaders including Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Environment Minister Sussan Ley, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison wishing expeditioners “calm seas and clear skies”.
Meanwhile, the Bob Brown Foundation again called for a halt to plans to build “a giant concrete airport” at Antarctica.
“The RSV Nuyina is a state-of-the-art vessel that will positively contribute to Antarctic science,” campaigner Alistair Allan said.
“By comparison, pouring 115,000 tonnes of concrete over seal and penguin habitat to build a concrete airport in Antarctica is a terrible idea that does nothing to advance science and everything to degrade the magnificent ice continent.”
More Coverage
Join the conversation
Metro ramps up recruitment, can’t say when services will be restored
Amid an ongoing driver shortage, Metro Tasmania has taken its recruitment efforts up a notch – but it still can’t commit to a timeline for the restoration of 180 suspended services.
Read more
Spirit of Tassie is a big, unholy mess
Trying to keep track of what’s happened with the Spirit of Tasmania saga? Political editor David Killick breaks down the key moments
Read more