RSV Nuyina delights crew on its maiden Antarctic voyage

The RSV Nuyina is “surpassing expectations” and delighting the 67 expeditioners onboard as they put the $529m icebreaker through its paces on its first Antarctic trip. SEE THE PICS >>

THE maiden voyage of Australia’s new $529m icebreaker RSV Nuyina is surpassing all expectations, achieving a range of firsts – and treating voyagers to the sight of dozens of humpback whales feeding.

Australian Antarctic Division shipping manager Andrew Deep said after some rough weather early in its first voyage, it was “going very well” with the successful testing of scientific equipment along the way across the Southern Ocean.

After a 4900km journey from Hobart, Nuyina has arrived in Prydz Bay off Australia’s Davis research station in east Antarctica to deliver two helicopters.

The RSV Nuyina nears Davis research station on its maiden voyage. Picture: Pete Harmsen/AAD

“It’s been a relatively easy trip for the 67 crew and expeditioners on board,” Mr Deep said.

“The voyage is on schedule, with no problems pushing through the pack ice.

“While Nuyina is currently in active service, for the first few years it’s also in commissioning phase.

“We have to learn how to use its amazing array of equipment, so we’re expecting things to not always work as planned, and when we find faults we fix them.

“However, the ship is surpassing expectations.”

RSV Nuyina makes its way through the pack ice. Picture: Pete Harmsen/AAD

Mr Deep was delighted at some of the early firsts for the voyage.

“The summit of an unnamed underwater sea mount, higher than Mt Kosciuszko, was mapped for the first time using the ship’s echo sounders,” he said.

“Another first was sampling krill and other fragile marine life using the unique wet well – like a vacuum cleaner for small sea creatures – and keeping them in an on-board chilled aquarium specially built into a shipping container.”

The European-built Nuyina replaced the iconic orange Antarctic supply ship, Aurora Australis, which operated for 30 years.

Its departure was delayed by alarm monitoring problems, which have since been resolved.

Mr Deep said a treat for those on board was the sight of whales on the way.

“On the way into Davis, voyagers were treated to the sight of dozens of humpback whales in several pods happily feasting on large swarms of krill, and the sound of their blows and deep calls,” he said.

One of the humpback whales seen from RSV Nuyina on its first voyage to the Antarctic. Picture: Pete Harmsen/AAD

The weather at Davis station was good for helicopter operations with clear conditions, 15-20 knot winds, and a temperature range of -4C to 1C.

Station leader at Davis research station, Dani Yannopoulos, and the 42 expeditioners living there were rapt to see the Nuyina arrive.

“Everyone is pretty excited,” Ms Yannopoulos said.

“Many people have been waiting years to see this.

“And there’s a lot of excitement for the mail bags.”

Nuyina is two weeks into a five-week voyage and will moor off Davis for a few days before heading to Casey station for the annual refuel. It will then meet up with the chartered cargo ship Happy Dragon, which is resupplying Casey station.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison launched the 160m-long, 25,000-tonne icebreaker in Hobart last month saying scientists would be able to research uncharted areas of the deep ocean and study the upper reaches of the atmosphere.

“Already she is drawing the attention of the international scientific community and that means good news for jobs in Tasmania as the gateway to Antarctica,” he said.