THE AUSTRALIAN

NAVAL ARCHITECT

Volume 24 Number 4
November 2020
A helicopter from the Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigate HMAS Ballarat takes off from the flight deck while conducting integrated
operations with the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain in October
(US Navy photograph)
 THE AUSTRALIAN
NAVAL ARCHITECT
Journal of
The Royal Institution of Naval Architects
(Australian Division)
Volume 24 Number 4
November 2020

Cover Photo: CONTENTS

The recently completed 32 m catamaran Coolgaree Cat, 2 From the Division President
built by Aluminium Marine in Queensland for the Sealink
Townsville to Palm Island and Magnetic Island service 3 Editorial
(Photo courtesy Incat Crowther)
4 Coming Events

The Australian Naval Architect is published four times per 5 News from the Sections
year. All correspondence and advertising copy should be
sent to:
16 Classification Society News
The Editor 19 From the Crows Nest
The Australian Naval Architect
c/o RINA 22 General News
PO Box No. 462
Jamison Centre, ACT 2614 31 Spirit of Australia 2
AUSTRALIA
email: jcjeremy@[Link] 33 The Internet
The deadline for the next edition of The Australian Na-
val Architect (Vol. 25 No. 1, February 2021) is Friday 34 The Profession
29 January 2021.
Articles and reports published in The Australian Naval
37 Education News
Architect reflect the views of the individuals who prepared
42 Maritime Awards
them and, unless indicated expressly in the text, do not neces-
sarily represent the views of the Institution. The Institution, 44 Industry News
its officers and members make no representation or warranty,
expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or 50 Membership
correctness of information in articles or reports and accept
no responsibility for any loss, damage or other liability 51 Naval Architects on the Move
arising from any use of this publication or the information
which it contains. 52 From the Archives
The Australian Naval Architect
ISSN 1441-0125
© Royal Institution of Naval Architects
Australian Division, Inc. 2020
RINA Australian Division
Editor in Chief: John Jeremy AM on the
Technical Editor: Phil Helmore
Print Post Approved PP 606811/00009
World Wide Web
Printed by Focus Print Group [Link]/aust
November 2020 1
From the Division President
Welcome to the November edition of The Australian Naval
Architect. I trust this finds you all well and looking forward
to the Christmas break in our strange new COVID-19 world!
A key role of the President of a professional institution is to
constantly strive for the organisation to be the best it can be.
This is realised by offering the membership what they value
and what they need in order to achieve their professional
development goals, and build on the skills and services
required by employers and the industry.
To this end I am seeking your assistance to identify what
the membership expects from the Australian Division of
the Institution. Only through direct feedback from the
membership can the Council be better informed and identify
initiatives to improve and meet those expectations.
I am not only requesting the feedback from the membership
but I would also ask that each member reaches out to the
naval architects that they associate with who have chosen
not to be members of the Institution. It is of interest to
the Council to understand the reasoning behind the non-
alignment of naval architects with a view to how we can
become more attractive and satisfy their expectations.
Gordon MacDonald
Some examples of expectations that respondents may wish
to consider would include: The Federal and Western Australian Governments are
• Professional development — educational opportunities, also sponsoring a series of studies looking at the future
certifications and seminars which will further your development of the Australian Marine Complex (AMC) at
industry knowledge. Henderson in Western Australia.
• Provide a platform/opportunity for exchanging views
between local sections and other maritime industry Apparently the studies will encompass aspects such as wharf
professionals. design, shiplift and docking options, vessel transfer paths,
• Professional/social contacts and mentors. new berth options, security, utilities, facilities and amenities,
• Satisfy your professional passion. and integrated transport solutions.
I therefore ask for your assistance in providing your ideas In the Pacific region the Australian Government will be
of how we can improve the services of the Institution and investing $124 million over 10 years which will include
so make it more relevant to your needs. Please email your a joint Australia–Solomon Islands project to construct a
thoughts directly to me at gdmacdonald1000@[Link]. border and patrol boat outpost in Solomon Islands’ western
Please remember to approach any non-member naval provinces to support the Islands’ Police Force and other
architects for their input. Solomon Islands agencies to conduct remote patrolling and
security operations, and will include a wharf capable of
I will provide a summary and feedback on responses
replenishing Guardian-class patrol boats (two provided by
received to this request in future columns in The ANA.
Australia), accommodation buildings, and storage facilities.
In a similar vein our Secretary, Rob Gehling, has delivered
We are indeed living in interesting times at the moment,
a working group report, Greater Recognition of the Role
however this level of investment in the maritime community
and Capability of Naval Architects for consideration by the
is building a great future for our industry.
RINA International Council. The paper, copies of which can
be requested from Rob, addresses individuals’ perceptions Gordon MacDonald
of their own capabilities together with industry’s and
employers’ perceptions of our role and expertise, with the
intention of identifying how we can raise our brand and
educate prospective fields of employment.
The recent flurry of activity around maritime construction
facilities continues apace with the recent completion of
the shipyard at Osborne South ready for handover to
ASC Shipbuilding to support the commencement of the
$45 billion Hunter-class anti-submarine warfare frigate
program which will start in December when the first steel is
cut for prototyping. The facility will support the construction
of 23 naval vessels in South Australia, including 12 Attack-
class submarines, 9 Hunter-class frigates and two Arafura-
class offshore patrol vessels.
The Australian Naval Architect 2
Editorial Despite the uncertainties of our world today, The Australian
Naval Architect continues to be published to provide news
What an extraordinary year 2020 has turned out to be. When of interest to Australian members of the RINA and news of
the November 2019 edition of The ANA was published, we section activities.
had no idea that Australia was about to experience forest The Australian Naval Architect was born in Western
fires of a scope and intensity not before recorded in the Australia in 1997. The first edition, published in March
world. In NSW alone, some 5.5 million hectares of land was 1997, was edited by Kim Klaka. He handed the task over
razed, mainly forest. Most fires were started by lightning to David Lugg who was the editor for the following three
in very dry fuel after a prolonged drought. Hot, dry and editions. When David was unable to continue in that role,
windy conditions produced by an unusual combination of The ANA came east to NSW and a new editorial team, Phil
weather events resulted in a fire storm which I expect few Helmore and I, took over. Our first edition was that of July
of us will forget — it was a summer which we don’t want 1998. This edition is the 90th we will have produced.
to see repeated, but experts in global warming warn us not
to be complacent. Those interested in the story of these fires I doubt that either of us would have imagined that producing
might find the report of the inquiry into the fires in NSW a new edition of The ANA every three months would be part
informative and interesting reading [1]. of our lives for at least the best part of a quarter of a century.
We have not tired yet — after all, our century is but two
If that was not enough, the whole world has been turned and a half years away. Hopefully we can continue in the
upside down by a global pandemic. In the marine world, years to come to make our Australian journal interesting
shipping has been greatly disrupted and the cruise industry and informative.
severely hit. It will probably be some time before we see a
return to something like normal — in the meantime, new John Jeremy
cruise ships continue to be built (although the shipbreaking 1. Final Report of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, 31 July 2020,
industry is booming). available at [Link]
Future developments in alternative fuels continue apace, projects-and-initiatives/nsw-bushfire-inquiry.
including hydrogen which could provide great opportunities
for Australia as countries seek to reduce carbon emissions in
the hope of mitigating risks of a future where fires like those
we experienced last summer could become commonplace.

Docking for RAN Flagship

The LHD HMAS Canberra stemming the Captain Cook Graving Dock at Garden Island in Sydney on 13 November.
The docking is part of an extended maintenance period (aka refit), the first such maintenance period
since the 28 800 t ship was commissioned in November 2014
(RAN photograph)
November 2020 3
 COMING EVENTS
NSW Section will have both a physical and an online presence, timed to
The NSW Section has one technical presentation remaining suit European time zones. The technical sessions will be
for the year: recorded and be available online.
2 Dec Rob Gehling, RINA The provisional schedule for HPYD7 is as follows:
Are Naval Architects More than just Designers? Thursday 11 March
This presentation will be held as a video-conference webinar 0700–1200 Technical presentations
hosted by the RINA using the Zoom platform. Registration is 1700–1830 Local industry presentations
required, see the flyer on the NSW Section Events web page. 1930–2100 Public session
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, SMIX Bash Friday 12 March
2020 has been cancelled. However, the news is not all bad; 0700–1200 Technical presentations
James Craig has already been booked for SMIX Bash 2021!
You can follow HPYD on Facebook or LinkedIn, or sign up
ACT Section on the conference website for their mailing list to receive
The ACT Section has a final technical presentation for the the latest news.
year: See [Link] for more details or, for general
1 Dec Dave Warby and the Team, Warby Watersport information, email info@[Link]; or for sponsorship
Spirit of Australia 2 and the World Water Speed opportunities, email sponsorship@[Link].
Record AOG Energy 2021
This presentation will be held as a webinar hosted by the
RINA using the Zoom platform. Registration is required, The Australasian Oil & Gas Exhibition & Conference is
see the Section Events page of the ACT Section website. set to return to Perth in 2021 renamed as AOG Energy,
re-energised and celebrating 40 years with a two-day
America’s Cup 2021 event, showcasing local capabilities and exploring future
The 36th America’s Cup Match will be held in Auckland, opportunities. The annual exhibition and conference is the
New Zealand, from 6 to 21 March 2021 and will see the largest oil-and-gas event in Australia, featuring over 300
defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, racing against the exhibiting brands and over 8700 global visitors.
winner of the Prada Cup for the Challenger Selection Series, The Conference features three Forums dedicated to Industry
with the challenger being the first team to score seven points. Supply, Subsea and Knowledge, all housed on the show floor
The racing schedule for the America’s Cup match has two and focusing on the opportunities and challenges in times
races per day planned for March 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14 and of transformational change.
15. Additional reserve days have been scheduled, but the AOG Energy 2021 is scheduled for 10–12 March 2021 at
intention is to complete the event on the weekend of March the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
13–14, weather permitting. The winner of the America’s Cup
will be the first team to score seven points. Indo-Pacific 2022
AMDA Foundation has provided an update for the Pacific
HPYD7 International Maritime Exposition which was to be held in
HPYD is the series of conferences on high-performance August 2021, with that show now planned for May 2022 due
yacht design organised by the Royal Institution of Naval to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and renamed
Architects NZ and the University of Auckland. the Indo-Pacific International Maritime Exposition instead.
In its news release announcing the change, organiser
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the coming conference AMDA Foundation noted that “the Indo-Pacific has become

The Australian Naval Architect 4

increasingly central to world commerce, international The inaugural Indo-Pacific exposition will also be held in
stability and security. Sydney, with precise dates to be announced shortly. AMDA
“Key Australian and international stakeholders, as well says that once the world has transitioned past the aftermath
as the world’s naval defence and commercial maritime of the pandemic, it intends that its expositions will resume
industries, are increasingly focused on the “Indo-Pacific”. It their normal biennial cycle, with Indo-Pacific returning to
is, therefore, appropriate that the name of the event, which its regular timing in the latter half of odd-numbered years
provides a platform for discussion in the national interest i.e. during the second half 2023.
among those key groups and is an essential engagement Planning for the 2022 International Maritime Conference
and promotional opportunity for industry, should reflect (IMC2022) will commence early in the New Year.
that focus.”

NEWS FROM THE SECTIONS

ACT David’s presentation was recorded, and is now available on
the RINA YouTube channel (see The Internet column). A
Methods for Reviewing a Weight Report copy of the written paper is available on application to the
David Whittaker, ex-Principal Naval Architect, ASC ACT Section Secretary at rinaact@[Link].
Shipbuilding (now BAE systems), Air Warfare Destroyer
Alliance, gave a presentation on Methods for Reviewing a The Type XXI U-boat
Weight Report — As Applied in the AWD Project as a webinar Tim Lyon, Consulting Naval Architect and Naval Historian,
using RINA’s Zoom software platform with the Chair of and current Vice President of the ACT Branch of the Military
the ACT Section, Warren Smith, as MC on 25 August. History Society of Australia, gave a presentation on The Type
This presentation attracted 35 participating on the evening, XXI U-boat — The True Story as a webinar using RINA’s
including the Chief Executive of RINA, Trevor Blakeley, Zoom software platform with the Chair of the ACT Section,
in London. Warren Smith, as MC on 22 September. This presentation
attracted 43 participating on the evening, including the Chief
Introducing his presentation, David said that for those who
have been given the job of regularly reviewing their project’s Executive of RINA, Trevor Blakeley, in London.
weight report (typically a job which you are given very early The Type XXI U-boat was the first true submarine. It is
in your career) the second question that comes to mind after often cited as the one weapon which could have won the
‘How am I going to do this?’ is ‘If I think it is wrong how can Second World War for Germany. The Type XXI is a major
I present an objective case for rejecting it without redoing link in the chain which leads from the first submersible
the calculation until I find an error?’. boat to the Collins-class submarines serving in the Royal
David prepared and shared his presentation because, Australian Navy today. However, the history of the Type
although weight reports are invariably prepared for naval XXI is mired in myth and mystery. Tim provided a more-
projects and the Defence project office always assigns accurate account of the capability of the Type XXI U-boat
someone to check such reports, he realised that no procedure as finally constructed by sifting through and analysing
had been written for how such an audit is supposed to be available archival information. Tim made it clear that the
undertaken. David shared some techniques adapted from performance of the Type XXI did not match that which
financial auditing and big data analytics to identify portions was originally envisaged and reported by the German high
of a weight report that may be suspect and justify closer command, and discussed the reasons for this difference. The
investigation or recalculation.
David remarked that the biggest challenge with the weight
report goes to the person who has to prepare the thing. The
task typically goes to someone only slightly more senior
to the one given the task of checking it, or sometimes to
someone more senior but judged to have a ‘quiet’ personality.
To those individuals he offered his unreserved sympathy.
Their task is not only to complete the mammoth report,
but also to ensure that it is correct in a situation where any
experienced management will assume it has some mistakes.
Alternatively, a project team brought in from another
Type XXI U-boat
industry may not see any need for the report at all. In either (Drawing from Military Wiki website)
case, the individual or team preparing and maintaining the
weight report has the challenge of doing what is, at best, Type XXI with its more streamlined hullform was originally
considered a tedious task while still getting it right. How anticipated to achieve 19 kn submerged, though it finally
achieved 17.2 kn under trial conditions and the maximum
do they check their own work to ensure this? underwater speed recorded in war logs was still lower, at
David distilled his experiences in checking the weight reports 15 kn. The adoption of dispersed modular construction of
received from Navantia for the AWD project. Question time this submarine also created challenges. The presentation
was lengthy (nearly as long as the presentation itself!), and is perhaps a timely reminder for submarine designers and
elicited some further interesting points. navies today that achievement of projected performance of
November 2020 5
submarines can be challenging if all elements don’t come diesel engine. He went on to provide an overview of the
together as envisaged. types of emissions produced by internal combustion engines
Tim pointed out that this presentation was half the length used in marine applications, and some of the key drivers
of the full two-hour version which he has previously given behind current and future emission limits set by the IMO
to the ACT Branch of the Military History Society of and local regulators. Lachlan discussed the marine fuels
Australia. Question time was lengthy and elicited some which are currently being investigated and their relative
further interesting points. benefits from the emissions-reduction, shipbuilder’s and
operator’s perspectives. He then talked about some of the
Tim’s presentation was recorded, and is now available on the
technologies employed by engine manufacturers to reduce
RINA YouTube channel (see The Internet column).
or ‘scrub’ emissions and touched on some current areas of
Committee Meeting development.
The ACT Section committee held a meeting using the Question time elicited some further interesting points about
Zoom software platform on 20 October to discuss technical the fuels and technologies being investigated.
meetings for the remainder of the year and develop a plan This was essentially similar to Lachlan’s presentation to
for potential presentations in 2021. the NSW Section on 2 February which was recorded and is
Provisionally we have: already available on the RINA YouTube channel (see The
Internet column) [Note that the volume is very low, so you
• David Warby and the Warby Motorsport team have have to turn it up to the maximum — Ed.]
agreed to give a presentation on Challenging the World
Water Speed Record via Zoom on or after 24 November, 3D Scanning in the Marine Environment
following the trials conducted at Blowering Dam on
Matthew Morgan of Blue Marble Marine, and Francois
7–8 November.
Dubois of C.R. Kennedy Survey Solutions, gave a
• John Kecsmar of Adhoc Marine Designs has agreed presentation on 3D Scanning in the Marine Environment
to give a presentation on The Structural Design and as a webinar using RINA’s Zoom software platform with
Fabrication of Aluminium High-speed Vessels: The the Secretary of the Queensland Section, Ash Weir, as MC
Good, the Bad and the Ugly on 27 April 2021, as on 13 October and attracted 27 participants on the evening.
an update of the presentation given to the Singapore
Blue Marble Marine specialises in scanning and modelling
Branch of RINA some seven years ago.
vessels for surveyors, builders and naval architects.
• Harry Hubbert of Greenroom Robotics has agreed to Applications include hydrostatic analyses, hull and interior
give a presentation on 25 May 2021. rebuilds, build monitoring for quality assurance and
It is anticipated that the section may also have presentations compliance documentation. Clients rely on Blue Marble
from incoming graduates or ADFA students and a range of Marine to deliver 3D electronic models, point cloud
other speakers which are yet to be confirmed. data, lines plans and full-sized plots. Matt discussed the
technology and the techniques which he uses when he 3D
Directorate Navy Engineering scans a boat. In particular, he discussed the advantages of
In separate news from the ACT, the former Naval Technical the new 3D scanning system, gave examples of jobs he has
Bureau within Navy Engineering Division of the Department completed, and discussed some of the challenges he faces
of Defence has undergone some internal restructuring which when scanning and post-processing his results.
is aimed at strengthening the project liaison roles within the C.R. Kennedy is Australia’s authorised reseller of Leica
Division and supporting the continuous Naval Shipbuilding Geosystems, the world leader in survey technology and
effort, while remaining within the same overall staffing instrumentation. The company provides expert training
constraints. The consequence is also a change of name to and support on all their products and the staff has many
Directorate Navy Engineering. Those in the Department years’ experience working in survey/construction industries.
and the defence industry who had become familiar with the Francois discussed some of the technical features of the
Navy Technical Bureau will now need to become familiar scanner and explained how it operates. He also discussed
with the new name. how different 3D scanners are being used in other industries
Martin Grimm and what is possible with their technology.
Lily Webster Matt and Francois also discussed their current project,
where they are trying to simplify the importation of the 3D
Queensland scan data straight into Maxsurf for stability uses, saving the
Controlling Marine Engine Emissions modeller a significant amount of post-processing; this is a
work in progress.
Lachlan Colquhoun, Marine Engine Sales Manager Question time was in lengthy and elicited some further
Australia and New Zealand, MAN Energy Solutions, gave interesting points.
a presentation on Controlling Marine Engine Emissions as
a webinar using RINA’s Zoom software platform with the This presentation was not recorded.
Secretary of the Queensland Section, Ash Weir, as MC on Ash Weir
8 September.
Lachlan started his presentation by giving a brief history of
MAN Energy Solutions, which included building the first

The Australian Naval Architect 6

Tasmania been utilised increasingly over the last 20 years.
The offshore design codes, on the other hand, have also been
The King Island Wave Energy Converter developing: several classification societies have updated
Scott Hunter, Chief Technology Officer, Wave Swell Energy, their rules in recent years and the revision process of ISO
gave a presentation on The King Island Wave Energy standards is ongoing. In their latest revisions, class rules
Converter as a face-to-face meeting with an audience of 20 provide an interface between the response-based analysis
in the Auditorium at the Australian Maritime College and the and structural design of offshore units, which would meet
Deputy Chair of the Tasmanian Section, Daniel Clayton, as class requirements.
MC on 28 October. This presentation was also streamed live Yuriy’s presentation compared examples of vessel responses
and attracted an additional 27 participants on the evening. in different locations, their interpretation through the class
Wave Swell Energy has developed a unique unidirectional rules, and calibration of safety factors, environmental and
oscillating water column (OWC) technology which tank dynamic combination factors. As the evolution of response-
tests have indicated is more efficient than bi-directional based methods and design codes continues, they are on a
OWC technologies. The company is currently developing a trend towards adoption of a structural reliability framework,
200 kW pilot project, to be deployed at Grassy on the south- as a general basis for design of offshore systems.
eastern coast of King Island in Bass Strait. The unit will be Question time was short, but elicited some further interesting
situated in about 6 m water depth and will supply energy into points.
Hydro Tasmania’s advanced hybrid power station, making
Yuriy’s presentation was not recorded.
it the first power station in the world to simultaneously
generate energy from waves, wind and solar. Much of the Dynamic Mooring Analysis for Ships
construction has taken place in and around Launceston, Tim Gourlay, Principal of Perth Hydro, gave a presentation
Tasmania, with the sea tow to King Island expected to take on Some Recent Developments in Dynamic Mooring
place at the end of the year. Commissioning will take place Analysis for Ships as a face-to-face meeting with a limited
soon after this in early 2021. audience of 22 at the Meeting Place Community Centre,
An outline of the technology and the project was presented. 245 South Terrace, South Fremantle, with the Secretary of
[There is a video animation of the proposed installation the WA Section, Syed Zaidi, as MC. The presentation was
at Grassy on the Wave Swell Energy website, [Link] also streamed live using RINA’s Zoom software platform
[Link]/king-island-project-2/, with the air turbine on 14 October, and attracted an additional 20 participants
being driven by the oscillating water column underneath on the evening.
— Ed.] Tim’s presentation gave an overview of some recent research
Scott’s presentation was not recorded. in dynamic mooring analysis as it applies to shipping in
Western Australia. Topics covered included:
Gregor Macfarlane
• Collaborative research with MARIN on side-by-side
moored ship motions in waves.
Western Australia • Collaborative research with University of Ghent on
passing ship effects for 400 m containerships.
Response-based Design and Classification
• A coupled ship and harbour method for dynamic
Society Rules mooring analysis in Geraldton.
Yuriy Drobyshevski, Principal Consultant and Director, • The effect of long waves and second-order wave
NavTec, gave a presentation on Response Based Design and loads on moored ship motions.
Classification Society Rules: Evolution Towards a Common • Multi-year hindcasts of moored ship motions on the
Basis as a webinar using RINA’s Zoom software platform Pawsey supercomputer.
with the Chair of the WA Section, Piotr Sujkowski, as MC Tim Gourlay is a mathematician who likes to climb ship
on 26 August, and attracted 34 participants on the evening. pilot ladders. As the founder of Perth Hydro in 2016, he
This presentation was prepared jointly by Yuriy and Michael undertakes ship hydrodynamics computer modelling and
Morris-Thomas, Principal Engineer, INTECSEA–Worley, full-scale measurements for companies in Western Australia.
and was an extended version of the topic presented by He is the author of the MoorMotions, SlenderFlow and
them at the RINA Offshore Marine Technology stream of SubmarineFlow software packages, and a regular user
the Australasian Oil and Gas exhibition and Conference of Wamit and Octopus ship-motions software. He has
(AOG) 2020. undertaken over 70 ship motion trials on bulk carriers,
The presentation reviewed developments in response-based tankers, container ships and cruise ships in Hong Kong, the
design of floating structures against recent trends in design Torres Strait, Broome, Port Hedland, Geraldton, Fremantle,
codes, and rules of classification societies in particular. Albany and Esperance, as well as wake and wave-induced
As floating systems are increasingly used for offshore motion trials on many smaller vessels.
developments, the response-based design becomes a Question time was lengthy and elicited some further
preferred approach. This is especially relevant to Australia’s interesting points.
industry, where new facilities have been installed in cyclone-
affected areas in recent years. Backed by developments in Tim’s presentation was also recorded and is now available
metocean science, availability of long-term metocean data on the RINA YouTube channel (see The Internet column).
and growing computer power, response-based methods have Syed Zaidi

November 2020 7
New South Wales The new ferry was launched as La Radar, because the name
Radar was already registered with the British Admiralty in
Committee Meetings 1947. As time went by, Radar fell off the BA list, and Charles
The NSW Section Committee met on 1 September and, other Rosman renamed his ferry Radar.
than routine matters, discussed: Radar and Rodney/Regis/Regalia
• SMIX Bash 2020: Sydney Heritage Fleet has stopped
the use of James Craig as a venue for the foreseeable
future and, as a result, SMIX Bash 2020 has been
cancelled; however, we have booked James Craig for
Thursday 2 December for SMIX Bash 2021.
• TM Program 2020: Presentation scheduled for 29 July
on Covid-19 and Cruise Ships postponed to 14 October.
• TM Program 2021: Ideas for presentations for 2021
canvassed and to be followed up.
The NSW Section Committee also met on 13 October and,
other than routine matters, discussed:
• SMIX Bash 2020: All sponsors, members and friends
have been advised of the cancellation of SMIX Bash this
year; all registrants have been refunded; those sponsors
who have requested have been refunded and others have Radar (foreground) and Rodney/Regis/Regalia
rolled over sponsorships to next year. (Photo Graeme Andrews collection)
• TM Program 2021: Venues for face-to-face presentations Here Sean showed a photo of two Rosman ferries, Radar
are being booked; three presentations already signed up, and Rodney/Regis/Regalia. Rodney became famous when
and other proposals are being pursued. she took out a party of spectators to watch the American
The next meeting of the NSW Section Committee is heavy cruiser, USS Louisville, depart Sydney Harbour on
scheduled for 24 November. 13 February 1938. Many passengers crowded onto the upper
deck and moved to the starboard side to see as Rodney passed
Ferry Radar Preservation Louisville. Turning in Louisville’s wake off Bradley’s Head,
Sean Langman, Managing Director of Noakes Group, gave Rodney capsized and sank with the loss of 19 lives. She was
a presentation on Ferry Radar Preservation: a Link to a eventually raised and refitted, being born again as Regis and,
Once-working Harbour as a webinar hosted by Engineers subsequently, Regalia [For further details of the Rodney
Australia with Phil Helmore as MC on 2 September. This incident, see the From the Archives column—Ed.]
presentation attracted 70 participants on the evening.
Lines Plan and General Arrangement Drawing
Introduction
The lines plan and general arrangement drawing of Radar are
Sean began his presentation by saying that the Rosman ferry being used today to input data and to analyse her stability. In
Radar has been restored to full working order, and will addition, they are scanning her hull shape to see how much
comply with all AMSA’s NSCV requirements. (if anything) has changed and how to incorporate that into
Radar was built in 1947 which, coincidentally, was the the stability data.
same year in which the floating dry dock (which Noakes Radar was built by Reg Adams, Clayton & Co., Shipbuilders
has also restored) was launched. Many people have asked and Engineers, at North Sydney — right at the current
the question ‘Why preserve old kit, rather than building Noakes site where she was restored. Reg Adams, Clayton
new?’ Sean said that he believes firmly in the basic naval & Co. was famous for the many timber seagoing trawlers
architecture and engineering which went into these vessels which the company built [including a number of Danish
and, as they worked then, there is no reason why they seiners which operated out of Eden for many years—Ed.]
shouldn’t continue to work now, as well as showing the
links to the past.

Radar’s builder’s plate

(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)

Berry’s Bay in 1892

Radar at Circular Quay in 1955 Here Sean showed a photo of Berry’s Bay in 1892. The large
(Photo Bill Allen)
The Australian Naval Architect 8
 Lines plan of Radar
(Drawing courtesy Noakes Group)

Berry’s Bay in 1892

(Photo courtesy Australian Register of Historic Vessels)

November 2020 9
vessel on the slipway in the centre of the photo is exactly
• Kurrewa IV ex Morna (top, blue sail cover), designed
where Radar was built by Reg Adams, Clayton and Co., and
by William Fife III and built by Morrison & Sinclair
subsequently restored and re-launched by Noakes Group.
at Longnose Point, Birchgrove, on Sydney Harbour in
Berry’s Bay in 1947 1913. She competed in six Sydney–Hobart yacht races
and won line honours in four. She is now being restored
for her 110th anniversary in 2023.
• LLCs (two, upper centre), the LHD Landing Craft
(LLC) which were purpose-built for the RAN’s Landing
Helicopter Dock (LHD) ships.
• Warren (centre), Noakes’ tug which they use to move
their vessels around.
• Proclaim (centre), ex-Nicholson Bros ferry, also built
by Morrison and Sinclair at Longnose Point, and now
part of the Rosman fleet.
• STS Young Endeavour (lower centre, blue cover at
bow), the British Government’s bicentennial sail-
training gift to Australia, in refit.
Radar on Sea Trials
Berry’s Bay in 1947
(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)

Radar can be seen on the right-hand side of the photo of

Berry’s Bay in 1947, berthed alongside the big shed. The
little white building in the centre of the photo is the same
one from which Sean was making this presentation. The
slipway in front if it is where Radar was built.
Berry’s Bay in 2018
The photo of the Noakes site at Berry’s Bay in 2018 shows
that the little white building is still there (top centre), and
illustrates the diversity of craft which they handle. Of note Radar on original trials in 1947
are the following: (Photo Graeme Andrews collection)

Berry’s Bay in 2018

(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)

The Australian Naval Architect 10

Charles Rosman ordered a new ferry from Reg Adams, Refit 2013
Clayton & Co. following the Rodney incident. Radar’s
purpose was to be more stable than Rodney and so she
had more beam, and the wheelhouse was purposely low to
enable her to pass under the Roseville Bridge, where no other
ferries at the time could go—this would expand the Rosman
services. The upper-deck bulwarks were set inboard, and
sloped inwards (making them difficult to climb over) and
did not extend so far aft as those on Rodney. Stability tests
had shown that, if Rodney’s upper-deck bulwarks had been
set inboard (limiting the number and transverse movement
of passengers), she would not have capsized.
Radar with Top Deck Enclosed

Radar sponson refit in 2013

(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)
Radar had been well built, with hardwood planks and
frames. The decks were planked with teak which Charles
Rosman had obtained from HMAS Adelaide for the decking
on the ferries Radar, Regal and Royale. However, the teak
decks were attacked by corrosion of the steel dump-spike
fastenings, and the hardwood sponsons and stanchions
were attacked by corrosion of the steel rod fastenings; other
fastenings in the vessel were bronze and copper. Under the
deadwoods was a lead shoe, which had been cast on site.
Radar with top deck enclosed in 1955 Radar came into Noakes’ yard in 2013 to have her sponsons
(Photo Graeme Andrews collection) replaced. However, when they removed the sponsons, they
Radar had the top deck enclosed by about 1955. However, found electrolytic rot had affected the stanchions as well.
the stability book had not been updated since she was built! The planned sponson refit turned into a seven-year refit of
Noakes have therefore had to go through everything. They the whole vessel!
have lowered the centre of gravity from this photo, and Electrolytic Rot
therefore have betterer stability characteristics. Due to the
refit construction, the vessel will not have any bilgewater,
and so there will be no unaccounted free surface effects.
The sponson band always rusted and, in the photo, you can
see rust streaks below the sponson on the white topsides.
Radar in 2010

Electrolytic rot
(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)
Steel is a ferrous metal and corrodes. The insert in the photo
shows a halo of corrosion around the steel fastening. As the
electrolytic current passes through the corrosion, it degrades
the timber. Timber vessels are living things, and react to their
Radar in Rosman livery in 2010 environment and electrolytic rot. The sponsons on small
(Photo courtesy Noakes Group) monohull ferries are wide so that, when they come alongside
wharves and roll, their superstructures don’t hit the wharf.
Radar was much loved as the Northwood ferry. Thousands of
The refit started with the sponson band but, when removed,
children travelled to and from school in her, and she was also
they found that every single stanchion behind the band was
used as a spectator vessel for the 18 ft (5.50 m) skiff fleet.
affected by electrolytic rot, and the topmost planks had also

November 2020 11
been degraded, so that the superstructure had separated from Radar in the Shed
the primary ribs and stringers. The refit escalated! They moved Radar into the shed. The top two planks in the
Refit 2019 photo are showing the extent of the electrolytic rot, looking
like charred patches where the sponson band came off.
Foredeck Work

Radar refit in 2019

(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)
Noakes had five ferries in service, and did not need Radar to
Foredeck work on Radar
meet the demands of the various schedules. So, they signed a (Photo courtesy Noakes Group)
commitment to have her back in service for the Biennale of
The stanchions all had to be replaced, and here the
Sydney in 2020. Since its inception in 1973, the Biennale of
boilermaker is boring a hole for a 316 stainless steel
Sydney has provided a platform for art and ideas, showcasing
fastening. They would have preferred to put laminated
the work of nearly 1800 artists from more than 100 countries.
timber frames in the bow but, having to work to a timeline,
Today it is considered one of the leading international
they ended up putting stainless steel frames in the bow
contemporary art events, recognised for commissioning and
section. Also visible in the photo is the massive stempost.
presenting innovative thought-provoking art from Australia
and around the globe. Internal Structure
When removed from the water, the vessel had a significant The photo shows the new deck clamp, the ribs and the fore-
hog in her keel (visible in the photo). They made the sheer and-aft stringers, all bronze fastened, with roved copper nails
line look OK and, with the conversion from wet-wood to holding the planks.
dry-wood construction (of which, more later), she has ended They ended up changing the structure of Radar from wet
up with a slight hog. wood to dry wood construction. In wet wood construction,

Radar in the shed

(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)

The Australian Naval Architect 12

 Internal structure on Radar
(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)
the planks are stacked on top of each other and, on the
outside, the seams are caulked with oakum and/or cotton,
hammered into the seams with a caulking iron, then payed
with putty. When back in the water, the timber swells with
the wood and tightens on the cauking in the seams.
Splining and Sheathing

Sheathing Radar’s hull with GRP

(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)

with the keel. The rabbet has been adzed out on each side
of the keel, and the edges of the garboard planks fit into it.
However, the slight hog in the keel means that the rabbet is
no longer in a straight line and the garboards don’t have a
perfect fit. They ended up having to back-fit from the inside,
using silicon-bronze screws, rather than twisted copper boat
nails, so she is not all rove fastened. The planks were glued
onto new ribs, and so there is a combination of new and old
methods. This gives low maintenance and a longer lifespan.
The monocoque shell is sheathed on the outside to ensure
the total exclusion of water, but the GRP sheathing does not
gain any structural credit.
They recycled as much as possible of the original sponson.
Splining between Radar’s planks
On the topside there is a slight tumblehome, and it tapers
(Photo courtesy Noakes Group) forward and aft. Many shipwrights said that the only one
who could replace the sponson as original was Old Bert.
They deliberately left Radar out of the water for a long time
However, they used an adze to get the shape, and used a
to completely dry the timber for the change to dry wood
massive steam box to bend the sponson, infused everything
construction. They then ran a spline saw down each seam
with epoxy and gluefibre, and built up the correct shape.
to remove all oakum and/or cotton, tar, read lead, etc. The
seams were painted with Everdure, and then gluefibre mixed Forepeak
with a high-temperature epoxy payed in, and a softwood The tank in the background of the forepeak photo is the
spline driven into each seam. This gives a monocoque black-water tank. The only access to the forepeak is through
external shell, and the internal ribs, stringers, etc. are just a watertight bulkhead, and they have painted the whole
coming along for the ride. of the compartment gloss white with an epoxy finish. All
The big problem is the interface of the garboard planks seams were done with a large brush, keeping the water out.

November 2020 13
 Forepeak on Radar Reinstalling the engine
(Photo courtesy Noakes Group) (Photo courtesy Noakes Group)

If the compartment filled with water, the water would find There are few changes to the engine from original, except
its way into the timber which would swell and could lead to that the engine controls are better and, to fulfil safety
failure. They have sufficient layers of GRP to cope, and so requirements, they had to fit various guards.
this will be OK, and they will have no internal free surface To reinstall the engine in the vessel, they had to build a
from bilgewater. special lifting frame to go through the side entry and down
The athwartship floors down low are through-bolted to the through two decks. Sean, being a rigger by trade, loved this
keel and help to support the garboard planks (so that there bit! In the reinstallation photo, you can see the marriage of
is no flexibility) and to transfer the loads upwards. different timbers on the sponson band; some original and
some new oregon.
Engine Overhaul
Mechanical Works

Mechanical works on Radar

(Photos courtesy Noakes Group)

More mechanical works on Radar

(Photos courtesy Noakes Group)
Sean with the overhauled Gardner 8L3B
(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)
All mechanical works on board are to AMSA’s NSCV
Sean really enjoyed this refit, because of the engine in requirements. They went to the trouble of fitting stainless
particular. Radar was originally fitted with a Gardner 8L3 steel pipework for longevity. The Gardner engine sits in a
engine. However, they had numerous Gardners onsite, and stainless steel bath which captures everything, and nothing
they picked an 8L3B which is basically the same as the 8L3, goes into the bilge. The old adage used to be that you never
but 40 years newer and has 50 hp (37 kW) more power. had to do an oil change on an English engine, you just kept
They sent several engines to Dave Shaw of Shaw Diesel in pouring oil in! The original concrete ballast was left in the
Auckland, New Zealand, for overhaul, and he did a fantastic bilge, and everything went in over the top.
job on them.

The Australian Naval Architect 14

The Artwork

Radar’s refit team

(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)
• Trades working on the refit 35
• Apprentices working on the refit 8
• Specialist contractors engaged 5
Artwork on Radar • Materials purchased and contractor costs
(Photo courtesy Noakes Group) (since start of refit) $320 000
The artwork on the vessel is a statement of inclusiveness, • Approximate value of refit $1.2 million
and the amalgamation and marriage of two cultures. In the • Refit commenced May 2013
Pacific, tattooing was done by women, on women. Each • Time vessel out of water 2473 days
piece of the artwork on the vessel tells a specific story from (6.8 years)
a particular area of Australia or the Pacific. There has been The apprentices learned a lot of valuable new (to them) skills.
a massive displacement of shipbuilders (men’s art) from Radar’s street value is nothing like the $1.2 million price
Sydney Harbour, and women’s indigenous and Pacific art, tag, but her heritage value is enormous. They are now
and Sean loves the fact that the art on Radar has been applied trying to find a place to do her original ferry runs. Rosman
by a man — himself! is the only company now running timber ferries on Sydney
Radar Re-launching Harbour, and people love getting on board, but not getting
off! There is a line from the Sydney Opera House to the
Harbour Bridge where cruise ferries have to wait for a wharf
allocation. Sean has been in the situation (as master of the
vessel) where the allocator has asked how many passengers
he has to disembark, and after advising 160, the passengers
don’t want to disembark! Imagine running a steam tram
down Flinders Street in Melbourne — everyone would want
to get on and not off!
The intent is to use Radar as a spectator vessel for the 18 ft
(4.55 m) skiff fleet.
There has been some pushback about the artwork and the
colour scheme. However, the artwork was especially for the
Biennale of Sydney, and the intent is to revert to the Rosman
Radar’s re-launching ceremony colour scheme after the Biennale finishes.
(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)
Conclusion
Sean has great affection for Radar. She was re-launched
on 4 May 2020, which is Sean’s mother’s birthday, with an The Rosman ferry Radar has been restored to full working
indigenous women’s ceremony, from the same place she order. She currently has a Certificate of Operation for 50
was launched in 1947. The photo shows that there was little passengers, while she completes AMS’s NSCV requirements
social distancing at the ceremony. Following the launch, for a larger number of passengers. Complying with
COVID-19 restrictions slowed operations significantly. mechanical requirements has been straightforward. They
have moved some ballast forward from aft, and the lightship
The Noakes Team will be lighter and the vertical centre of gravity lower than
Noakes had a team of 38 people working on the refit, with all before. Complying with stability and flooding criteria
manner of trades, and all working to a condensed time frame for Class 1E will be interesting following her upcoming
to have the vessel completed in time for the 2020 Biennale inclining experiment.
of Sydney which took place in June through September. Questions
Statistics Question time was lengthy and elicited many more
The statistics of the refit make interesting reading: interesting points.
• Total labour hours (since June 2019) 5000 The certificate was subsequently posted to Sean, and the
• Labour cost $500 000 “thank you” bottle of wine delivered via an eGift card.
• Hours worked (last 4 weeks) 3000 Sean’s presentation was recorded, and is now available on
the RINA YouTube channel (see The Internet column).
November 2020 15
 Radar back in operation for the Biennale of Sydney 2020
(Photo courtesy Noakes Group)

Cruise Ships and COVID-19 How can microscopic COVID-19 pathogens transmit
Robert McMahon, Marine Engineer, Michael Kelly, Pilot, from person to person, bring the international cruise
Port Authority of NSW, Bernie Farrelly, Project Manager, industry to a standstill, and immobilise some of the
Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation, and Sr Mary Leahy, Stella world’s largest warships? The presentation looked
Maris Chaplain and Regional Coordinator for Oceania, gave at this question from the perspective of maritime
a presentation on Cruise Ships and COVID-19 as a webinar professionals responsible for the safe, efficient and
hosted by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science seaworthy operation of ships under their management
and Technology in London using the Panopto platform on
oversight.
14 October. The President of IMarEST, Kevin Duffy (in
Germany at the time!) MCed the event and provided the Question time was short due to the length of the
keynote speech. This presentation attracted 147 participants presentations, and only a few of the questions were
on the evening. able to be answered in the time available.
This presentation was all about understanding and This presentation was recorded, and is now available on the
solving some of the technical, management and RINA YouTube channel (see The Internet column).
operating problems arising on cruise ships and other Phil Helmore
vessels due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

CLASSIFICATION SOCIETY NEWS

Nick Brown to Take the Helm at LR enormously proud of everything we have achieved together,
supporting our clients while fulfilling our purpose to make
Nick Brown, the head of Lloyd’s Register’s Marine and
the world a safer place”, said Marsh in a statement.
Offshore Division, will be taking the helm as the firm’s new
CEO, effective 1 January 2021. Nick Brown, 45, will succeed Marsh as group CEO and
join LR Group’s board on 1 January. In the interim, he will
After 14 years at LR, including five as Chief Executive
continue in his role as the head of Marine and Offshore.
Officer, current CEO Alastair Marsh has decided to step
down from his role and retire from the firm’s board, effective “Alastair is an exceptional business leader who has
31 December 2020. Marsh has a view to remain with the firm transformed the company during his tenure. Following the
in non-executive and advisory roles in the future, LR said. significant investment in new systems and processes, LR is
a far more agile and customer-focused organization, with a
“It has been an absolute privilege to lead Lloyd’s Register
strong growth platform in innovative digital services, whilst
over the last five years. I have had the pleasure of working
also achieving greater operational excellence. The company
with so many committed and talented colleagues, and I am
has also diversified its portfolio through acquisition,
The Australian Naval Architect 16
 industry partners to make deep-sea zero-carbon vessels
a reality within this decade. Shipping needs action, not
words, to deliver on the IMO’s 2050 GHG ambitions
and this challenge calls for collective action and industry
collaboration. Following the announcement of the ammonia-
fuelled tanker joint development project in January, we are
delighted that SHI has made steady progress on the fuel gas
supply system and detailed ship design.”
In its 2020 Energy Prediction report, the International Energy
Agency forecasts that the use of ammonia and hydrogen as
vessel fuels will expand and will account for 60% of marine
fuels by 2060. Similarly, BP announced in its 2020 Energy
Prediction report that the portion of non-hydrocarbon fuels
such as ammonia, hydrogen, biofuel and others, will increase
to 85% of 2018 total energy amount by 2050.
LR News, 24 September 2020

DNV GL Alternative Fuels Conference

DNV GL recently held its second annual DNV GL
Alternative Fuels online conference. Some 2000 attendees
listened to presentations from industry experts on the
fuels, technologies and markets which hold great promise
in powering shipping’s journey towards a carbon-neutral
future.
“De-carbonisation is the grand challenge of our time,”
said Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL Maritime.
LR CEO-elect, Nick Brown
Throughout the three-hour event, attendees heard about the
(Photo courtesy LR)
challenges of decarbonisation and how meeting the IMO
expanding into new industries”, said LR Chairman, Thomas targets for 2050 would affect maritime stakeholders — from
Thune Andersen. “As the company writes its next chapter, shipowners, charterers and cargo owners to shipbuilders,
this is a logical time for change and Nick has all the right designers, engine manufacturers, fuel suppliers, financiers
qualities to lead us to further success”. and policy makers.
Brown’s successor at LR Marine and Offshore will be The conference looked at a variety of alternative fuels, as
announced at a later date. well as options for conventional fuels and their positives
and challenges. The presentations covered the uptake of
The Maritime Executive, 26 August 2020
alternative fuels; scrubbers; LNG; DNV GL Maritime’s
LR Grants AiP for SHI Ammonia-fuelled flagship report, The Maritime Forecast to 2050; methanol
Tanker as a ship fuel; ammonia as a ship fuel; the tanker market;
and a panel discussion explored the end users’ perspective
Lloyd’s Register has granted Approval in Principle (AiP)
of decarbonisation.
to Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) for its ammonia-
fuelled tanker design, a key progress milestone in the joint Reaching the targets will require application of technology
development project which LR and SHI announced with which is currently under development, acceptance of lower
industry leading partners MISC Berhad and MAN Energy speed and deployment of large volumes of zero-carbon or
Solutions in January 2020. carbon-neutral sustainable fuels. Looking at the emerging
landscape of alternative fuels in shipping, Ørbeck-Nilssen
To meet the International Maritime Organization’s 2050
said “Not only is the number of potential fuels expanding,
ambitions on halving greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
but the meandering variables of fuel availability, price and
from 2008 levels, zero-carbon vessels need to enter the
policy measures which could enable or negatively impact
world fleet by 2030. Ammonia is among the zero-carbon
each choice, make the fuel decision much more difficult. In
fuels which are being considered by maritime stakeholders
these extraordinary times, we must make sound decisions
and, with the award of this AiP, SHI will forge ahead with
today which protect our tomorrow, while keeping our eyes
its exclusive development of a relevant fuel gas supply
fixed on the horizon for the fuels and innovations which will
system and detailed ship design. It aims to commercialise
propel our journey forward.”
these developments by 2024.
The full programme and speakers included:
Jong-Hyun Youn, SHI EVP and head of design, said “The
ammonia fuel design project led by SHI brings all relevant • Opening address: Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO DNV
stakeholders spanning from the fuel supplier to operator and GL – Maritime
it will result in a commercial outcome.” • Uptake of alternative fuels: status and trends: Christos
Chryssakis, Business Development Manager, DNV GL
LR Group CEO designate and Marine and Offshore
Director, Nick Brown, said “LR is working with leading • Scrubbers: Experience and outlook: Kai Låtun, Director
Sales and Public Affairs, Yara Marine Technologies
November 2020 17
• LNG’s pathway to decarbonisation: Krishna ABS now offers the most comprehensive set of remote
Achuthanandam, Marine LNG Business Development survey options in the industry, with a total of 28 surveys
Team Lead, Shell LNG and audits able to be delivered remotely.
• DNV GL Maritime Forecast to 2050: Øyvind “The industry is telling us that they want our services
Sekkesæter, Environmental Consultant, DNV GL delivered remotely, particularly in the current challenging
• Experience with methanol as fuel: Ayça Yalcin, Director environment, and I am proud that we are providing the most
Market Development EMEA, Methanex comprehensive remote services portfolio in the industry,”
said Joe Riva, ABS Vice President and Chief Surveyor.
• Ammonia as a marine fuel: Hendrik Brinks, Principal
“We are delivering the next generation of classification
Researcher, DNV GL
today through surveys conducted anywhere in the world
• Tanker market adapting to future expectations: Catrine at any time, without interrupting operations for surveyor
Vestereng, Vice President, Global Segment Director attendance.”
Tankers, DNV GL
The new remote services include Annual Hull Survey,
• Panel discussion: End users’ perspectives on Annual Machinery Survey, Annual Automation Survey,
decarbonisation: Harry Robertsson, Technical Director Annual Dynamic Positioning Survey, Annual Navigational
Stena Teknik, Kostas Vlachos, Chief Operating Officer, Bridge Layout and Equipment/Systems Survey and
LATSCO Marine Management, Daniel Gent, Energy & Annual Load Line Inspection, when authorized by Flag
Sustainability Manager, UECC. Administration, for the first time.
Access to the seven presentation recordings and slide decks Eligible vessels include general cargo vessels, barges
may be requested at (other than tank barges), tugs, offshore-support vessels and
[Link] liquefied natural gas carriers under 15 years of age, with a
demand-webinars/alternative-fuels-online-conference-2020. few qualifying criteria. ABS now allows alternate annual
html surveys to be conducted remotely, except the fifth annual
DNV GL News. 20 October 2020 survey, which has special survey requirements.
ABS has also extended its remote survey and audit services
ABS Offers Majority of Annual Class to existing equipment manufacturing and external specialist
Surveys Remotely clients enrolled in ABS programs.
In an industry first, ABS is now able to conduct almost all For more information ABS Remote Surveys visit www.
classification annual surveys remotely on eligible vessels, [Link].
after moving to further expand its remote offerings. ABS Press Release, 21 April 2020
Launching 10 additional remote survey options in April,

WHY USE NAVAL SERVICES FROM DNV GL

DNV GL PROVIDES ASSURANCE,

CERTIFICATION AND TECHNICAL
SUPPORT TO GOVERNMENT AND NAVY

The Australian Naval Architect 18

 FROM THE CROWS NEST
World’s Largest Container Vessel LNG Ocius Technology’s Beth Christened
Powered The first of Ocius Technology’s new generation 6.8 m
Bluebottle unmanned surface vessels, Beth, was christened
CMA CGM Jacques Saade, the largest liquefied natural gas
on 19 August.
(LNG)-powered containership in the world was launched
in Shanghai on 25 September. The vessel was built by The christening was by Mark and Jill Bethwaite, in honour
China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Hudong and of Mark’s first wife, the late Carolyn Elizabeth Bethwaite,
Jiangnan, and takes the name of the CMA CGM group’s the name being in memory of the “beth” in Elizabeth,
founder. The vessel has a capacity of 23 112 TEU and is and only coincidentally similar to Bethwaite! Due to
fully powered by LNG. COVID-19 restrictions, the christening took place at Ocius
Technology’s premises at the UNSW Randwick campus,
LNG was chosen as the fuel for a number of reasons. A real
and was streamed live via the Google Hangouts platform.
technological breakthrough contributing to environmental
protection, LNG offers the following benefits over existing There was a small number of elite guests present at the
fuel oil-powered ships: christening, with 30 participating online. Guests included
RADM Lee Goddard, Commander Maritime Border
• 20% reduction in CO2 emissions;
Command; Adrian Turner, Founding CEO of CSIRO
• 99% reduction in sulphur emissions;
Data 61 and now CEO Minderoo FireFund; Chris Jenkins,
• 99% reduction in fine particles emissions; CEO Thales Australia; Belinda Hutchinson, Chair Thales
• 85% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions; and Australia and Chancellor University of Sydney; Dr Stu
• the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), which Anstee, Robotics Lead DST Maritime Underwater Group;
measures the environmental footprint of a vessel, is and Prof. Ian Gibson, UNSW Sydney. High-performance
improved by 20% compared to a conventional vessel. sailors present included Steve Quigley, Brett Van Munster
The overall result is a reduced carbon footprint and improved and Tom Addis.
air quality, particularly for populations living in coastal areas Robert Dane, founder and CEO of Ocius Technology,
and in port cities. welcomed the guests and participants and opened
The vessel also features cutting-edge innovations to optimise proceedings with a few words about Ocius, climate science,
energy efficiency through improved hydrodynamics. The the development of the Bluebottles, and thanked the whole
bulb has been seamlessly integrated into the hull profile and team for their sterling efforts over the years.
the bow is straight. The propeller and the rudder blade have Mark Bethwaite, Chairman of Ocius Technology, also
also been optimised, along with the Becker Twisted Fin. welcomed the guests and participants, and said that the
Principal particulars of CMA CGM Jacques Saade are Bluebottles are the world’s best USVs with regard to
Length OA 400 m power, payload and performance. They can also be towed
Beam 61 m behind any capable vehicle, and launched from any boat
Draft 16 m ramp in Australia, an advantage which cannot be claimed
Main engine CMD-WinGD 12X92 DF by any competitor. The new Bluebottles are scheduled
63 840 kW to undergo sea trials off Sydney, and will then head to
CMA CGM website Darwin, although progress has been delayed by COVID-19
restrictions. They are currently collaborating with Charles

CMA CGM Jacques Saade under construction

(Photo from CMA CGM website)

November 2020 19
Darwin University in Darwin. Defence and Navy are, of
course, key clients.
Jill Bethwaite christened the vessel Beth with champagne,
using the Ocius wording God bless this ship Beth and all
those who don’t sail in her!
Following the christening, Ocius provided champagne toasts
for the guests, followed by drinks and canapes.
The speeches and christening are now up on the Ocius
website at
[Link]
Phil Helmore

Mark Bethwaite making his speech

(Photo courtesy Phil Helmore)

WWSR Spirit 2 Spirit 2 with new stabilisers fitted

On 8 October 1978, 42 years ago, Ken Warby blasted across (Photo from Warby Motorsport Facebook page)
Blowering Dam to set his second (and current)World Water in Lancashire, England, with Project Coordinator, David
Speed Record of 317.6 mph (511.1 km/h), with the return Aldred, and his wife Gill having to work on their own.
kilometre of 328 mph, and a kilometre exit speed of 345 It is interesting to read on the website how the dimensions
mph, thus becoming the first person to officially break the of Longbow were decided: the length of 29 ft 6 in (8.99 m)
300 mph and 500 km/h barriers, the only person to ever was dictated by having 13 in (33 cm) between the transom
design, build and drive a boat to a World Water Speed and the workshop rear wall (enough to accommodate the
Record, and still the only person in the world to hold this rudder when fitted), and about the same between the bow and
record. Happy anniversary, Ken! the workshop doors. At the sides, there will be 1 in (2.5 cm)
Dave Warby of Warby Motorsport is attempting to break his between the door frames and the side of each sponson at the
father Ken’s World Water Speed Record in Spirit of Australia widest. With the sponsons now taking shape, Longbow is too
in their latest vessel, Spirit of Australia 2. wide to turn over in the shed to complete construction when
the time comes — she will have to be turned over outside!
The new horizontal stabiliser for the vessel has been
mounted on the new vertical stabiliser and sub-frame in
Dave’s workshop in Newcastle, and painted. The engine was
run up and systems were tested alongside the workshop in
mid-September [For video (and audio!) of the engine test,
see the Warby Motorsport Facebook page — Ed.]
Blowering Dam level is currently sitting at around 80%.
The team returned to Blowering Dam on the weekend of
7–8 November to continue working up from 250 mph (402
km/h) towards 300 mph (483 km/h) (see report elsewhere
in this issue).
Warby Motorsport Facebook page

WWSR Longbow
Britain has re-entered the contest for the World Water Speed
Record with a new vessel, Longbow, having commenced
construction in April 2018.
The Longbow team has been progressing construction, Longbow’s sponsons taking shape
but is being severely hampered by COVID-19 restrictions (Photo from Longbow website)

The Australian Naval Architect 20

WEC Group in Darwen, Lancashire, has commenced dictated by the UIM. Any records would therefore be invalid.
construction of the trailer on which Longbow will sit when It would also mean that our wounded and injured part of the
not out on the water. project would not go ahead. It would be grossly unfair not
[For further details, visit the Longbow website, [Link] to include them after all the hard work and dedication they
[Link]/ — Ed.] have put in over the years.
Longbow website “So, we are down but not out, and we are beat but not dead,
which is a bonus. I am going to have a rest and regroup for
a while, and I can assure you that I will deal with whatever
is thrown at me. Our day will come but, when that is, I have
no idea. We may have lost the battle, but we have not lost
the war!”
Team Britannia website

SP80 Aims for World Sailing Speed Record

The world sailing speed record is currently held by
Australian Paul Larsen in Vestas Sailrocket 2 at an average
speed of 65.45 kn (121.1 km/h) over the 500 m track.
SP80 is the vessel being designed and built by three young
engineering students from the Swiss engineering school
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) to
attempt the world sailing speed record in 2022 and take it
back to Europe. To achieve their goal they are aiming for a
speed of 80 kn (148 km/h) using a boat with shaped hulls,
propelled by a the usual kite wing, while the overall stability
is achieved via super-ventilating hydrofoils.
How do you build a prototype when the world has stopped
turning and everyone has to stay at home? As the first
confinement measures were being announced in March 2020,
nobody at SP80 really had an answer to this question. Yet, by
dint of the motivation expressed by implicated students and
engineers, as well as the infallible support shown to the team
by their partners, the prototype model has been launched and
Longbow’s trailer under construction at WEC Group has been undergoing optimization tests for several weeks.
(Photo from Longbow website) The confinement/A necessary reorganisation
Team Britannia Last March, just as the prototyping team welcomed new
Team Britannia is a multi-million-pound British bid led members at the start of the semester, the COVID-19
by ocean adventurer, Alan Priddy, to design and build crisis forced EPFL to close down its facilities. As a result,
Excalibur, the fastest and most fuel-efficient wave-slicing construction on the model was halted. Without access to
powerboat to circumnavigate the globe for the much-coveted the workshops, they focused on finishing up the design and
Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) world record, preparing the construction protocols by discussing via video-
currently held by New Zealander Pete Bethune at 60 days conferences. Work from home was rapidly established,
23 h 49 min in Earthrace. thanks notably to the SP80 partnership with Dassault
Systems via 3DS Academy.
Excalibur was launched on 2 October, and is lying safely
at the Hayling Yacht Company, Hayling Island, Hampshire,
UK.
However, Alan Priddy now says on the Team Britannia
website “Faced with the global uncertainty of how the
COVID-19 pandemic is going to move next means that it
is near-on impossible to make any immediate plans for the
future. And sponsorship opportunities for Team Britannia
have gone into freefall, making another battle to be fought.
“By far the biggest problem we are faced with is the
restricted movement of personnel by land, sea and air and,
until there is an accepted inoculation for COVID-19, the
chances of getting in and out of countries quickly are slim
to non-existent. As you are all aware, our story is as much
SP80 prototype model under test on Lac Léman
about what happens on the land as it does at sea, and although (Photo from SP80 Facebook page)
there is a faint possibility that we could get around the world
by refuelling at sea, it is strictly forbidden under the rules

November 2020 21
A slow but worthwhile engagement The reward: launching the prototype
Meanwhile, the team kept looking for a suitable workshop In the end, it only took four months after the start of
which also met social-distancing regulations. The INARTIS confinement for the prototype model to launch at the Club
Foundation proposed an ideal solution by providing an office Nautique Morgien (a technical partner for the tests) on Lac
near EPFL. Several weeks later, as confinement measures Léman, Switzerland. Since July, the team has been testing
mellowed, some EPFL collaborators were allowed access to and optimising the model of the final boat off the coast of
campus. The LPAC laboratory and the SKIL fablab became Morges. Each outing on the water has allowed the team to
crucial in operations by producing the parts which students fine-tune details, all of which constitute steady progress
conceived months before and, in June, the rhythm picked towards the record.
up, with new parts being produced every few days, thanks SP80 expects to attempt the World Sailing Speed Record
in particular to the responsiveness of Swiss Composites. in 2022.
The team in charge of electronic systems also got to work. SP80 website

GENERAL NEWS
New Ship for Trinidad and Tobago Launched access from the vehicle deck to the passenger level is via
in Tasmania stairs or elevator. The vessel layout also includes cabins to
accommodate up to 14 crew.
Incat Tasmania’s latest vessel, a 100 m catamaran destined
for Trinidad and Tobago, was floated out of Incat’s drydock Buccoo Reef will achieve a top speed of over 40 kn with
on Hobart’s Derwent River on 9 October. powering by four MAN 16V 28/33 STC marine diesel
engines, each rated at 7280 kW, Wartsila WXJ 1200 SRI
Incat commenced construction of Buccoo Reef early in waterjets and ZF 53500NR2H gearboxes.
2019, and all major machinery and equipment has now been
installed which, together with electronic systems, are being Passenger comfort is enhanced with a Naiad Dynamics
commissioned and tested in readiness for sea trials planned active ride-control system combining active trim tabs aft and
for November. The ship, Incat’s hull 094, will be delivered a retractable T-foil located at the aft end of the centre bow.
later this year for service on the seabridge between Port of NUSHIP Supply arrives in Western Australia
Spain, Trinidad, and Scarborough, Tobago.
The Royal Australian Navy’s new replenishment ship,
The passenger deck, with capacity for 1000 persons, is Supply, arrived at HMAS Stirling on 5 October.
divided into three lounges which incorporate a range of
bars and food-service areas together with passenger toilet NUSHIP Supply will now undergo an outfit period to install
facilities. specialised equipment which could not be installed overseas
for security reasons, such as the close-in weapons system,
The expansive vehicle deck offers 175 full-height truck lane the communications suite, Typhoon and the combat system.
metres plus capacity for 182 cars, or if trucks are not carried, A team of experienced Navantia and defence industry
then the ship can accommodate 239 vehicles. Passenger specialists will complete the work.

Buccoo Reef afloat in the Derwent River after her launching on 9 October
(Photo courtesy Incat Tasmania)

The Australian Naval Architect 22

 NUSHIP Supply departing Ferrol for her voyage to Australia. NUSHIP Stalwart (A304) is being fitted out at the nearby berth
(Photo courtesy Navantia)

Navantia Australia’s Chairman, Warren King, said “The sustainment, innovation and upgrades and enable a robust
arrival of NUSHIP Supply marks a significant milestone for Australian supply chain to be reliably available.”
Australia and demonstrates our commitment not only to the The AOR Program has generated hundreds of jobs for
Royal Australian Navy but also to Australian industry, which Australian workers who operate behind the scenes in
is so important to support these ships over their expected the Australian Defence industry. A number of Australian
design life and more.” and Western Australian companies are involved in both
Navantia Australia’s Managing Director, Alfonso García- construction process and fit-out, including Taylor Bros,
Valdés, said “The local development and management of SAGE Automation, Australian Maritime Technologies,
the Navantia designs by Navantia Australia, supported by Sofraco Engineering, Capability by Design, Communications
the Strategic Agreement Principles document signed with Design & Management and Sypaq Systems. ASP Ship
Defence earlier this year, offers substantial opportunities for Management, Scaf-West and the Onsite Rental Group are
Australian industry.” performing vital support during the fitting out.
“Navantia Australia already has over 300 Australian 60 direct jobs have been created with Navantia Australia and
companies as part of our local supply chain. The cross- further indirect jobs through industry partners associated
platform commons program which we are developing with the AOR Sustainment Support program, which will be
will provide more long-term opportunities for platform conducted in both Sydney and in Western Australia.

November 2020 23
New Osborne Shipyard Completed Oceanographic Group has four deployable geospatial
support teams which have been training for the past 12
South Australia’s world-leading shipyard at Osborne South
months on the new capabilities being delivered under the
was completed and ready for handover in September.
SEA1770 project.
The Prime Minister, the Hon. Scott Morrison MP, said that
around 2500 direct jobs would be created under the Hunter-
class frigate program, which now starts in December when
the first steel is cut for prototyping.
“Our continuous naval shipbuilding program has changed
the skyline at Osborne on the Port Adelaide River but,
importantly, it’s delivering thousands of local jobs while
boosting the economy and strengthening Australia’s defence
capability, the Prime Minister said.
“Founded on a $535 million investment by the Australian
Government, Osborne South is now a world-leading
shipyard where Australian steel comes in at one end, and
state-of-the-art warships come out at the other.”
“I commend South Australia for the way in which they The survey boat Polaris was deployed from HMAS Adelaide for
have managed COVID-19, particularly for keeping vitally the first time during Exercise Sea Wader 2020
important projects like Osborne on track and on time (RAN photograph)
throughout the pandemic, providing a major boost to the Keel Laid for first Offshore Patrol Vessel to
local economy but also to the defence of Australia.
be built in WA
The Finance Minister, Senator the Hon. Mathias Cormann,
The keel-laying ceremony for the first of the RAN’s new
said that Australian Naval Infrastructure had constructed the
offshore patrol vessels to be built in Western Australia was
new facilities at Osborne on time and on budget — delivering
held in September at the Civmec facility at Henderson.
on the Government’s ongoing commitment and progress
towards creating a sovereign continuous naval shipbuilding The first of ten OPVs to be built in Western Australia,
program, generating secure employment for Australian Pilbara as she will be named, will join her sister ships
shipbuilding for generations to come. Arafura and Eyre which are being built by ASC Shipbuilding
at Osborne in South Australia.
“More than 25 000 t of steel, of which over 85 per cent was
locally made here in SA, was used during the build. Since construction commenced ahead of schedule in March,
the Luerssen and Civmec teams in WA have made significant
“At peak construction, more than 730 people worked on
progress on building the blocks which, when complete, will
this project, with 97 per cent of contracts let to Australian
form the 1600 t, 80 m long OPV.
businesses, making this a truly sovereign project.” Minister
Cormann said.
Over the next four months, ASC Shipbuilding will take
control of the shipyard and start training their shipbuilders
on the technology which has been installed for building
warships efficiently and effectively.

New Navy Survey Capability Deployed

A new type of small survey craft which will improve Navy’s
geospatial survey capabilities has been deployed from
HMAS Adelaide for the first time.
The inaugural launch of Polaris from Adelaide took place
on 29 October off the coast of Townsville during Exercise
Sea Wader. The keel-laying ceremony for the future HMAS Pilbara at Civmec
Polaris is part of a range of new equipment delivered to in Western Australia
(RAN photograph)
the Maritime Geospatial Warfare Unit. The new equipment,
which also includes a Fly Away Survey Kit and the Remus
Austal Delivers 83 m Trimaran Ferry to JR
100S Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, aims to modernise
the collection and processing of geospatial data by Navy Kyushu Jet Ferry
hydrographers. Austal Australia delivered Queen Beetle to JR Kyushu
Polaris (built by Yamba Welding and Engineering) is Jet Ferry at a ceremony held at the company’s shipyard in
equipped with a range of technologies, including a multi- Henderson at the end of September.
beam echo sounder, side-scan sonar, and sub-bottom profiler, The 83 m high-speed trimaran ferry is the first of its kind
and has an ability to deploy its own autonomous underwater to be delivered to Japan and has been custom-designed
vehicle. to provide an enhanced passenger ferry service between
The Navy’s Hydrographic, Meteorological and Fukuoka, Japan, and Busan, South Korea.

The Australian Naval Architect 24

 The 83 m high-speed trimaran ferry Queen Beetle
(Photo courtesy Austal)

Speaking at the delivery ceremony, Austal’s Chief Executive monitoring, control and analysis of vessel performance, on
Officer, David Singleton, said that Queen Beetle was a board and remotely. With the benefit of Austal’s Motion
unique vessel which will set a new benchmark for high-speed Control System, Queen Beetle was able to reach trial speeds
ferry travel in Japan. in excess of 40 kn whilst maintaining outstanding stability
“Queen Beetle offers international ferry passengers a truly and passenger comfort.
impressive, enhanced travel experience, with new levels of More than 200 Austal Australia employees were directly
comfort, luxury and amenity previously unavailable on any engaged on the design and construction of Queen Beetle, and
ferry in Japan,” Mr Singleton said. the company drew on more than 200 Australian businesses
“Austal’s trimaran hull design allows up to 502 passengers over the course of the project to help deliver the major export
to travel with complete freedom to enjoy the many amenities contract, worth over $68 million.
on board, including lounges, bars, a kiosk, a retail shop and
a playground, while cruising at speeds up to 37 kn.
“We’re distinctly proud and delighted to be delivering
this exciting new ferry to Japan and congratulate Kyushu
Railway Company President, Toshihiko Aoyagi, and JR
Kyushu Jet Ferry President, Masayuki Mizuno, on this latest
and, dare I say greatest, addition to their fleet.”
Featuring a customised interior designed by Eiji Mitooka
of Don Design Associates in Japan, Queen Beetle includes
two classes of seating plus compartments for groups and
families, a children’s play area and nursing room, a café
and bar, duty-free shop, lockers for luggage and all-access
spaces for wheelchairs and prams. An outdoor viewing deck
further enhances the on-board experience for passengers. Austal’s Chief Executive Officer, David Singleton, and General
During sea trials, Queen Beetle achieved impressive speed, Manager Planning at JR Kyushu Jet Ferry, Hitoshi Ogawa,
marked the official handover of Queen Beetle at Austal Australia’s
seakeeping and passenger comfort results, utilising Austal’s
Henderson shipyard on 29 September 2020
new Marinelink technology which provides real-time (Photo courtesy Austal)

November 2020 25
Shaping the Future of the Henderson
Maritime Precinct
The Commonwealth Government and the Western Australian
Government are sponsoring a series of studies to inform
the future development of the Australian Marine Complex
(AMC) at Henderson in Western Australia.
The studies will encompass aspects such as wharf design,
shiplift and docking options, vessel transfer paths, new
berth options, security, utilities, facilities and amenities, and
integrated transport solutions.
The Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds
CSC, said that the AMC plays a vital role in providing
support to Defence, commercial shipbuilding and repair, The 39.5 m patrol boat VOEA Ngahau Siliva was designed and
the resource sector, and offshore oil and gas. built by Austal Australia
(Photo courtesy Austal)
“The AMC is a key sustainment hub for Australia’s surface
and submarine fleets, and is one of only two sites identified
for shipbuilding under the National Naval Shipbuilding
Plan,” Minister Reynolds said.
“The Government is already investing up to $1.5 billion
in infrastructure at both Henderson and Fleet Base West at
HMAS Stirling.
“I’ve been working closely with Premier McGowan and
Minister Papalia on shaping the future of the Henderson
Maritime Precinct.
“The Federal Government will invest more than $9 million
over two years to produce these detailed studies which will
build on the strategic infrastructure and land-use planning
which has been commissioned by the State Government. From left: Austal COO and CEO Designate, Patrick Gregg; the
“By leveraging off the Precinct’s existing industry presence, Minister for Defence Industry, The Hon. Melissa Price MP; HRH
Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tukuʻaho of the Kingdom of Tonga;
these studies will explore opportunities to collaborate on
Air Commodore Fiona Dowse, Senior Defence Representative
technology development and innovation.” WA; RADM Wendy Malcolm, Head of Maritime Systems, RAN;
The AMC, located around 23 km south of Perth, was LTCOL Tevita Siu Fifita, His Majesty’s Armed Forces Tonga; and
VOEA Ngahau Siliva, Navigation Officer SBLT Peni T. Mau
established by the Western Australian Government with (RAN photograph)
Federal assistance in 2003.

Austal Patrol Boat for Tonga

Austal Australia has delivered the eighth Guardian-class
patrol boat to the Australian Department of Defence.
The vessel, VOEA Ngahau Siliva, was gifted by the
Australian Government to the Kingdom of Tonga during
a handover ceremony at Austal Australia’s Henderson
shipyard on Friday 30 October which was attended by Her
Royal Highness, Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tukuʻaho of
the Kingdom of Tonga, the Australian Minister for Defence
Industry, the Hon. Melissa Price MP, and the RAN Head of
Maritime Systems, Capability Acquisition and Sustainment
Group, RADM Wendy Malcolm.
Austal’s Chief Operating Officer and CEO Designate, Her Royal Highness Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tukuʻaho of
the Kingdom of Tonga and Australian Defence Industry Minister,
Patrick Gregg, said that VOEA Ngahau Siliva was the second the Hon. Melissa Price MP, at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the
Guardian-class Patrol Boat delivered to the Kingdom of official delivery of VOEA Ngahau Siliva
Tonga under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (RAN photograph)
and the eighth delivered since December 2018. “We are
very fortunate to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess delivered eight of the 21 Guardian-class patrol boats
Angelika, who is Tonga’s High Commissioner to Australia, contracted to the Australian Department of Defence. We’re
to the Henderson shipyard to celebrate the delivery of the actually completing a vessel every three months and at
second Guardian-class patrol boat, following the delivery of any given time, we have five vessels under construction
the VOEA Ngahau Koula in June last year,” Mr Gregg said. or fitout.”
“With this second vessel delivery to Tonga, we have now The Tongan crew, who have diligently observed all necessary
COVID-19 safe protocols and procedures while completing
The Australian Naval Architect 26
a comprehensive training program which Austal provides “I know that the Austal USA team is particularly proud of
at its Henderson shipyard, have now taken delivery of the this latest LCS, which is named after their home city of
vessel and will depart for Tonga following further training Mobile, and they have every reason to be proud given that
and familiarisation with the Royal Australian Navy at HMAS this is the third ship built by Austal USA to have completed
Stirling, Garden Island, WA. acceptance trials for the US Navy in 2020,” Mr Singleton
The Pacific Patrol Boat replacement contract was awarded said.
to Austal in May 2016, with an additional contract option “The successful completion of acceptance trials for Mobile in
awarded in April 2018 taking the program to 21 vessels Mobile, during this challenging time in world history is an
valued at more than $335 million. Twelve Pacific Island outstanding achievement and testament to the skills and
nations including Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the Federated commitment of the Austal USA team.”
States of Micronesia, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Austal USA’s Independence-class LCS program is at full
Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu rate production, with five ships currently under construction
and Timor Leste will receive the vessels through to 2023. including Mobile. The future USS Savannah (LCS 28)
VOEA Ngahau Siliva is replacing VOEA Neiafu (P201), a has been launched and is preparing for trials, and final
Pacific-class patrol boat which has been in service in Tonga assembly is underway on the future USS Canberra (LCS
since 1989. 30) and USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32). Modules for the
future USS Augusta (LCS 34) are under construction in the
module manufacturing facility.
Austal USA Delivers USNS Newport to US
Navy
USNS Newport (EPF 12) has been delivered to the United
States Navy from Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile,
Alabama.
USNS Newport is the 12th Spearhead-class Expeditionary
Fast Transport (EPF) to be delivered to the United States
Navy — and brings the total number of ships delivered to
the Navy by Austal USA to 24 in ten years, including three
this year.
Austal recently delivered the seventh Guardian-class patrol boat, Austal’s Chief Executive Officer, David Singleton, said that
PSS President Hi. I Remeliik II, to the Commonwealth of Australia the delivery of EPF 12 by Austal USA further strengthens
for presentation to the Government of Palau
(Photo courtesy Austal)
the status of its Mobile, Alabama shipyard as an industry-
leading facility.
Future USS Mobile Completes Acceptance “Austal USA has now delivered 24 ships to the US Navy in
Trials just over ten years, including three in this year alone. This is
On 12 October Austal announced that the future a remarkable achievement and testament to the productivity
USS Mobile (LCS 26) had successfully completed and efficiency of the shipyard, which is now expanding to
acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico. LCS 26 is the enable the shipbuilding and support of steel vessels,” Mr
13th Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) built Singleton said.
by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, for the United States “The ongoing, successful delivery of both the Spearhead-
Navy. class EPF and Independence-class LCS shipbuilding
Austal’s Chief Executive Officer, David Singleton, said programs has positioned the Austal USA shipyard to pursue
that Mobile (LCS26) was the third naval ship to successfully new aluminium and steel shipbuilding opportunities in the
complete acceptance trials at Austal USA in 2020. future.”

The future USS Mobile (LCS26) was built by Austal USA

(US Navy photo)

USNS Newport (EPF 12) was constructed by Austal USA

(Photo courtesy Austal)

November 2020 27
The Spearhead-class EPF is a 103 m high-speed aluminium The Incat Crowther 40 will be powered by twin MTU
catamaran with a large, 1800 m2 cargo deck, medium-lift 12V2000 M72 main engines, driving Rolls-Royce Kamewa
helicopter deck and seating for over 300 embarked troops, S71-4 waterjets.
providing a fast, high-payload transport capability. The latest hullform is used for the vessels, featuring Incat
The Austal-designed EPFs support a wide range of missions, Crowther’s unique reverse bow which optimises hull
from maritime security operations to humanitarian aid and efficiency and seakeeping characteristics, delivering reduced
disaster relief. An EPF’s flexibility also allows it to support operating costs and exceptional passenger comfort. This
potential future missions; such as special operations, proven hullform has been rigorously tested in service and
command and control, and primary medical operations. continues to support Incat Crowther in delivering leading
One additional Spearhead-class EPF is under construction at designs throughout the industry.
Austal USA’s shipyard; the future USNS Apalachicola (EPF Incat Crowther has delivered over 50 ferries currently in
13), while the future USNS Cody (EPF 14) is scheduled to operation in China.
commence construction before the end of the year. Principal particulars of the new ferries are
40 m Catamaran Ferries from Incat Length OA 42.8 m
Length WL 40.8 m
Incat Crowther has announced that construction is well
Beam OA 10.0 m
progressed on a pair of 40 m catamaran passenger ferries at
Depth 3.20 m
Afai Southern Shipyard, in Guangzhou, People’s Republic
Draft (hull) 1.20 m
of China.
Passengers 199
To be operated by the Zhuhai Fast Ferry Company, the Crew 7
vessels will form the next generation of sleek, fast, low- Fuel oil 7000 L
fuel-consumption ferries operating in the Pearl River Delta Fresh water 1000 L
region. Afai Southern Shipyard’s winning bid for the project Sullage 1000 L
was underpinned by the partnership’s ability to deliver a Main engines 2×MTU 12V2000 M72
high-speed low-fuel-consumption vessel which offers a step each 1440kW @ 2250 rpm
change in passenger experience. Propulsion 2×Rolls-Royce Kamewa S71-4
The vessels will accommodate 199 economy passengers waterjets
on a single deck with VIP passengers having a dedicated Construction Marine-grade aluminium
cabin on the upper deck. The main passenger deck features Flag China
all amenities aft to maximise crew comfort and deliver an Class/Survey CCS
open, airy cabin with clean forward visibility.

40 m catamaran ferries for Zhuhai Fast Ferry Company

(Photo courtesy Incat Crowther)

The Australian Naval Architect 28

 Starboard quarter of Coolgaree Cat
(Photo courtesy Incat Crowther)
Coolgaree Cat from Incat Crowther propellers. Capable of speeds in excess of 30 kn, she has
a fuel-efficient fully-loaded operational speed of 26 knots
Incat Crowther has announced the launch of Coolgaree
at only 60% MCR, offering increased time between main
Cat, a robust 32 m catamaran developed specifically for
engine overhauls.
the Palm Island and Magnetic Island runs, operating from
Townsville, Queensland. Developed in close conjunction Incat Crowther’s Technical Director, Dr Andrew Tuite
with the operator, Sealink Travel Group, the vessel offers said “In partnership with the operations team at SeaLink
critical improvements over those currently in service on the in Townsville, Incat Crowther has developed a functional
run. Optimised for through-life efficiency on the offshore robust ferry for unique operating conditions experienced
Palm Island route, the vessel is a more robust and sustainable to Palm Island. Incat Crowther is proud of the technically-
addition to the Sealink fleet. advanced Coolgaree Cat, designed specifically for the
Queensland environment and built in Queensland using
Long-term value is enhanced by improved durability, with a
world’s-best shipbuilding processes.”
clear focus on operational features including cargo handling,
passenger vision, green-water shedding, cleaning and Chris Briggs, General Manager of Sealink North Queensland,
maintenance. Operational costs are reduced with the lower said “Coolgaree Cat has achieved the performance envelope
fuel burn seen during sea trials, despite being a larger and we were aiming for and has actually exceeded our
stronger vessel than those which it is replacing. performance expectations in some areas. This result has been
Boarding is via stern side gates or a port-side midship
boarding door. The main deck features 206 seats in a mix
of booth and forward-facing, with deep windows giving
the cabin a light and airy feel. There is a large kiosk aft, in
addition to multiple storage areas.
The upper deck seats 86 passengers in a mix of lounges
and regular seats, and 26 exterior seats are available aft
on the upper deck. The bulk of the aft deck is dedicated to
containerised freight stowage, with space for 12 luggage
trolleys and a cool room for a further three. The aft-end
coamings of this deck have been reinforced to cope with the
impact of the trolleys, whilst loading gates are specifically
located to work with existing infrastructure.
The vessel is fitted with twin Caterpillar C32 engines, Bridge on Coolgaree Cat
delivering 970 kW each, and propulsion is via fixed-pitch (Photo courtesy Incat Crowther)

November 2020 29
achieved through Incat Crowther’s willingness to combine
SeaLink’s operational knowledge and experience with
their expertise and industry-leading approach to designing
aluminium passenger ferries.”
Incat Crowther has a long-standing relationship with the
Sealink Travel Group, earning the company’s trust through
proven well-considered and innovative vessel designs
operating within the Sealink fleet.
Principal particulars of Coolgaree Cat are
Length OA 32.0 m
Length WL 31.5 m
Beam OA 10.0 m
Depth 3.00 m Starboard side of Farra Orla
Draft (hull) 1.20 m (Image courtesy Incat Crowther)
(propellers) 1.80 m Inside the main cabin is a large wet room with multiple
Passengers 320 showers, toilets and lockers. The main-deck passenger
Crew 5 space is large and open, with forward visibility, seating 24
Fuel oil 5000 L personnel in comfortable suspended seats.
Fresh water 2000 L
Sullage 3000 L The upper deck features an elevated wheelhouse with
Main engines 2×CAT C32 B rating commanding views over the bow for safe transfer operations,
each 970 kW @ 2100 rpm behind which is a crew space with mess, bathroom and
Propulsion 2×fixed-pitch propellers food-preparation space.
Speed (service) 25 kn The hulls feature two single crew cabins per side and
(maximum) 30 kn bathrooms.
Construction Marine-grade aluminium The Incat Crowther 27 is powered by quad Scania DI16
Flag Australia 077M engines, each producing 662 kW. Propulsion is via
Class/Survey NSCV Class 1C/1D quad Hamilton 521 waterjets, giving the vessel excellent
manoeuvrability. The vessel will have an operating speed
in excess of 29 kn.
The design is compliant with European regulations for the
transfer of 24 offshore workers and will be classed with
Bureau Veritas. It will be the first in the Farra Marine fleet,
and the first such vessel operating under the Irish flag.
Penguin Shipyard in Singapore commenced construction on
3 September with delivery expected in the second quarter
of 2021.
Principal particulars of the new vessel are
Length OA 27.1 m
Length WL 24.9 m
Beam OA 9.00 m
Depth 3.85 m
Draft (hull) 1.40 m
Coolgaree Cat berthed at Palm Island Personnel 24
(Photo courtesy Incat Crowther) Crew 4
Fuel oil 35 500 L
Farra Orla from Incat Crowther
Fresh water 3500 L
Incat Crowther has announced the start of construction of Sullage 2500 L
a 27 m catamaran wind farm service vessel. The third in Main engines 4×Scania DI16 077M
Penguin’s Windflex 27 series, the vessel has been sold to each 662 kW @ 2300 rpm
Irish operator Farra Marine who will name her Farra Orla. Propulsion 4×Hamilton HM521 waterjets
The vessel offers excellent speed, deadweight and Generators 2×Cummins Onan 40MDDCF
seakeeping, making it capable of many roles in the offshore Speed (service) 29 kn
wind industry. The vessel features two working decks. A (maximum) 31 kn
large working deck forward can accommodate up to four Construction Marine-grade aluminium
10 ft or two 20 ft containers and is equipped with a deck Flag Ireland
crane. The aft deck can accommodate a 10 ft container. Class/Survey BV I  HULL  MACH,
Both decks have multiple tie-down points for flexibility, Wind Farms Service Ship —–
accommodating every possible requirement or spares and M0, Sea Area 3
equipment. The vessel has a deadweight of more than 50 t. Stewart Marler
The Australian Naval Architect 30
 Spirit of Australia 2
Trials 7–8 November 2020
David Warby and the Warby Motorsport team completed their first trials of Spirit of Australia 2 following the installation
of a new tailplane with a horizontal stabiliser on Blowering Dam during the weekend of 7–8 November. A number of test
runs were undertaken on both days, with the boat being lifted in and out of the water by crane between runs.
During the Saturday runs, cross winds of around 10 km/h were experienced on the course and David reported that these
had a greater influence on the new larger tailplane, thus preventing higher speeds being attempted. Tailplane incidence
adjustments were planned for that evening.
On Sunday, the initial runs were completed in relatively
calm conditions, but thereafter wind speed increased and
waves rapidly picked up prior to the second set of runs.
The wind persisted for the remainder of the day, again
hindering attempts to achieve higher speeds. The peak speed
achieved on the weekend was reported to be around 170 mph
(274 km/h, 148 kn).
The team continued to monitor the behaviour of the rudder
at higher speeds, with David reporting the boat “walking
around” more than desired. The rudder adopts a super-
cavitating blade profile with a blunt trailing edge, just as was
the case for Spirit of Australia in which Ken Warby achieved
his water speed record. Aside from the rudder fitted to the
boat, two alternative rudders were also available.
The craft is, in the meantime, also being fitted with a greater
range of accelerometers and gyros to record the motion
characteristics of the boat, the intention being to analyse
this data following the trials.
The next trials are planned for March 2021. Bow of Spirit 2
Martin Grimm (Photo courtesy Martin Grimm)

Spirit 2 at low speed

(Photo courtesy Martin Grimm)

Spirit 2 being lifted into the water at Blowering Dam

(Photo courtesy Martin Grimm)

November 2020 31
 Underside of Spirit 2
(Photo courtesy Martin Grimm)

Tailplane on Spirit 2
Rudder on Spirit 2 (Photo courtesy Martin Grimm)
(Photo courtesy Martin Grimm)

Engine and tailplne support on Spirit 2

Permanent tribute to Ken Warby at Blowering Dam
(Photo courtesy Martin Grimm)
(Photo courtesy Martin Grimm)

The Australian Naval Architect 32

 THE INTERNET
RINA Webcasts • COVID-19 and Cruise Ships, presented by Robert
McMahon, Marine Engineer; Michael Kelly, Pilot, Port
RINA has set up a YouTube channel and RINA webcasts can
Authority of NSW; Bernie Farrelly, Project Manager,
be viewed there. The RINA YouTube channel is at
Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation; and Sr Mary Leahy,
[Link] Stella Maris Chaplain and Regional Coordinator for
iwpp_QGJg/videos Oceania, as a webinar hosted by IMarEST in London
Bookmark this website and keep your eye on it! using the Panopto software platform on 14 October
Video recordings of presentations should be sent to Jaime 2020, with the keynote speech by the President of
Perez Martinez <jmartinez@[Link]> at RINA HQ for IMarEST, Kevin Duffy.
uploading. Further recordings will be added to the RINA YouTube
Branch and Section presentations are shown second from channel as they occur.
left in the top line. Click on View full Playlist to see the list, Phil Helmore
or click on the search function to the right of About in the Qld Section Webcasts
menu bar, type the title of the presentation you are looking • Controlling Marine Engine Emissions presented by
for (or at least the first few words thereof) and press Enter. Lachlan Colquhoun, Marine Engine Sales Manager
ACT Section Webcasts Australia and New Zealand, MAN Energy Solutions,
as a webinar using the Zoom software platform on
The ACT Section webcasts recorded and uploaded within 8 September 2020.
the last three months are:
This was essentially similar to Lachlan’s presentation to
• Methods for Reviewing a Weight Report — As Applied the NSW Section on 2 February which was recorded and
in the AWD Project, presented by David Whittaker, ex- is already available on the RINA YouTube channel [Note
Principal Naval Architect, ASC Shipbuilding (now BAE that the volume is very low, so you have to turn it up to the
systems), Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance, as a webinar maximum — Ed.]
using the Zoom software platform on 25 August 2020.
Further recordings will be added to the RINA YouTube
• The Type XXI U-boat — The True Story, presented channel as they occur.
by Tim Lyon, Consulting Naval Architect and Naval
Ash Weir
Historian, as a webinar using the Zoom software
platform on 22 September 2020. WA Section Webcasts
Further recordings will be added to the RINA YouTube The WA Section webcasts recorded and uploaded within the
channel as they occur. last three months are:
Lily Webster • Some Recent Developments in Dynamic Mooring
NSW Section Webcasts Analysis for Ships presented by Tim Gourlay, Principal
of Perth Hydro, as a webinar using the Zoom software
Engineers Australia has agreed that copies of presentations platform on 14 October 2020.
recorded using their WebEx software platform can be
Further recordings will be added to the RINA YouTube
transferred to RINA and uploaded to the RINA YouTube
channel as they occur.
channel.
Syed Zaidi
The NSW Section webcasts recorded and uploaded to the
RINA YouTube channel within the last three months are:
• Design and Construction of the RAN’s New Hunter-
class Frigates, presented by Levi Catton, Managing
Director/SEA5000 Technical Advisor Ship Integration,
Gibbs & Cox Australia, as a webinar hosted by
Engineers Australia on 20 May 2020.
• Investigation of Sediment Transport Processes near
Tidal Energy Devices, presented by Christelle Auguste,
PhD Candidate, Australian Maritime College, as a
webinar hosted by Engineers Australia on 3 June 2020.
• RSV Nuyina: Australia’s New Icebreaking Research
and Supply Vessel, presented by Clive Evans, Maritime
Systems Lead—Research Supply Icebreaker Project,
Australian Antarctic Division, as a webinar hosted by
Engineers Australia on 1 July 2020.
• Ferry Radar Preservation — a Link to a Once Working Operated by Serco and built in WA in 1998, Mercator 1 is a famil-
Harbour, presented by Sean Langman, Managing iar sight in Sydney providing navigation training for the RAN
Director, Noakes Group, as a webinar hosted by (Photo John Jeremy)
Engineers Australia on 2 September 2020.
November 2020 33
 THE PROFESSION
Survey Matters This ensures that we can crop it correctly for your ID
card.
Survey Matters is AMSA’s e-Newsletter relating to
domestic commercial vessel (DCV) survey and is published • Your photo is 45 mm × 45 mm on a white background,
approximately six times per year. You can request placement facing forward from the neck upwards. If possible, this
on the mailing list by emailing DCV Survey <dcvsurvey@ should be scanned at 300 dpi.
[Link]>. The e-Newsletters (including August 2020) • You supply current evidence of professional association
are now also available online at membership. If you are submitting a receipt of
h t t p s : / / w w w. a m s a . g o v. a u / n e w s - c o m m u n i t y / membership you must advise the renewal and expiry
newsletters#collapseArea612 date.
Items included in the August 2020 e-Newsletter included: • You supply evidence of continued professional
• Accreditation matters development. Submit copies of certificates from training
courses, workshops or additional qualifications. If you
• Mars matters
don’t have certificates tell us in the box and supply
• All National Law exemptions extended dates. Provide the date of subscription and name of
• Changes to EPIRB requirements any publications you subscribe to. Provide dates and
• Issuing temporary permits under divisions 3, 5 & 6 of names of any technical meetings or conferences you
exemption 7 have attended. If you mentor, tell us who, what the
subject is, and any dates.
• Regulated Australian and foreign flagged vessels
becoming domestic commercial vessels • You submit a copy of your electrical license if you are
accredited in categories e, f or m.
• General arrangement plans
• Payment is made quoting the transaction reference
• Documents listed on the AMSA 575 form: Fire
number (TRN) shown in the top right corner of
Training Manual and Fire Safety Operational Booklet
the application form. If you make a mistake on the
• Electrical documentation requirements application and print another one, a new TRN will
• Fast craft documentation generate. You must advise us which TRN you made
• Navigating the AMSA organisation—who to contact payment against.
and when You are reminded to submit renewal applications three
• Safety alerts and other newsletters months ahead of your accreditation expiry date. The
renewal application is available on the AMSA website.
The item on Accreditation Matters is reproduced below.
Due to COVID-19, all applications including supporting
Items included in the October 2020 e-Newsletter included: documentation must be emailed until further notice.
• Accreditation matters Audit Outcomes
• MARS Matters Renewals haven’t been our only focus this year. Since
• Certificate of survey renewal applications January we have sent nine letters to surveyors asking the
• AMSA’s new National Compliance Plan 2020-21 recipients to show cause as to why we should not take action
• Have you got the right tools for the job? to revoke, suspend or vary their accreditation. These show-
cause processes have resulted in AMSA suspending the
• Audit findings—EPIRBs and coastal liferafts accreditation of three surveyors and varying the accreditation
• Vessel descriptions in stability documentation of another.
• Disputed deficiencies during initial survey Audit outcomes have seen letters sent to ten surveyors,
The item on Have You got the Right Tools for the Job? is requiring a corrective action response. We have sent
reproduced below. counselling letters to six surveyors for contravening the
Phil Helmore conditions of their accreditation, as set out in the Regulations.
Examples of contraventions included:
Accreditation Matters • Performing surveys outside of accreditation category.
Here is a look at the first six months of 2020 within the In this instance a surveyor provided a recommendation
accreditation space. for a fuel tank construction survey, despite their
Accreditation Renewals accreditation not including an initial construction
The first accreditation renewals fell due in February this year. category.
So far, AMSA has received 72 applications for renewal with • Failing to conduct renewal surveys to the scope required
53 approved and 19 still in progress. by the surveyor manual. A complaint emanated due to
We find many applications are incomplete or contain the surveyor’s recommendations for a fleet of vessels
illegible documents, which causes delay. When submitting omitting key safety information. The AMSA 901 forms
an application please ensure that: did not contain adequate information for an AMSA
delegate to renew the vessel’s certificates of survey.
• All necessary fields are completed in full.
AMSA formed the view that the surveyor contravened
• Your signature remains strictly within the box provided.
The Australian Naval Architect 34
 section 32 of the regulations, after considering the Survey Matters, August 2020
missing details, indicated duration for each survey,
the absence of details for the location and date of the Have You got the Right Tools for the Job?
surveys, and reports showing the hulls with heavy Did you know that a surveyor is able to create their own
marine growth. survey forms, tailored to the type of vessel?
• Failing to conduct renewal surveys to the scope required The range of surveyed vessels is significant. Passenger
by the surveyor manual. In this example a surveyor vessels, workboats, fishing vessels, small to large; you name
submitted a completed AMSA901 form recommending it, there is probably someone operating it commercially and,
the survey. A subsequent AMSA inspection found the
vessel was still under repair, with sections of the timber
deck, exhaust pipework and insulation and weathertight
hatches still to be fitted.
• Failing to notify AMSA that a written complaint was
made against a surveyor. Although the survey in this
instance was a ‘risk evaluation’ survey for a prospective
buyer, the regulations do not distinguish between the
purposes of a survey. The vessel was a commercial
Range of surveyed vessels
vessel and the surveyor was accredited. (Drawing courtesy AMSA)
• Failing to provide information requested by the National
Regulator under Section 35 of the regulations. as surveyors, we are expected to provide services to this
expansive range of vessels.
An educative approach through counselling was the
preferable compliance and enforcement action in these In order to increase consistency and reduce entry barriers
examples. However, surveyors should be aware that for new surveyors, AMSA provides a range of “one size fits
contravention of the conditions of accreditation may result all” survey forms which surveyors may use. These are freely
in a different outcome. This includes infringement notices available on our website.
and/or variation, suspension or revocation of accreditation. Nonetheless, some experienced surveyors develop their own
The minimum infringement for any act or omission that survey reports tailored to the job. This ensures that they
contravenes a condition prescribed by the regulations is create an accurate survey record and reduce administrative
60 penalty units ($12,600 at time of writing) and is a strict hours. Tailoring survey reports to individual vessels, or types

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November 2020 35
If the only tool you have is a hammer, it’s hard to eat provide a higher level of service to distinguish themselves
spaghetti! — David Allen. in the market.
Surveying a 6 m Class 2C vessel? Use the small outboard Please be careful with the trimming. Unclear submissions
powered survey report. lacking relevant information may result in delay for your
Surveying a 70 m Class 1B passenger ferry, with ro-ro and client or refusal of an application.
dangerous goods? No problem, use the comprehensive Survey Matters, October 2020
survey reports which you have developed covering these
elements. Float-free EPIRBS to be Required
Where does this ability come from and what are the This safety alert aims to raise awareness of the need for
conditions? owners, operators, masters and crew of certain domestic
The Surveyor Accreditation Guidance Manual (SAGM) — commercial vessels (DCVs) to install a float-free emergency
Part 2, Section 2.9.1 (6) states that: position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) before 1 January
2021.
• A surveyor who submits survey reports and
recommendations using MARS You will need to install a float-free EPIRB if your vessel is
operating more than 2 n miles from land and:
is not required to use the forms identified in Annex 1.
• is more than 12 m in length; or
This allowance is conditional on the recommendation
and documents being directly uploaded in MARS by the • is between 7.5 m and 12 m in length with no level-
surveyor. It is also conditional on the survey report having flotation fitted, and operating in Area B or C waters.
adequate and clear content for the kind of vessel being The requirement to install a float-free EPIRB is in response
surveyed. Section 2.9 of SAGM Part 2 provides further to incidents where commercial vessels have sunk too quickly
details around these requirements. for the crew to deploy their EPIRB in time, leading to a delay
As guidance, AMSA recommends that survey forms include in search and rescue operations and a tragic loss of life.
at least the (relevant) information identified on the AMSA [For further details, see the Safety Alert on the AMSA
generic forms, allowing a surveyor to remove irrelevant website, [Link]
content. For example, there would be no need to report and-media-releases/amsa-safety-alert-float-free-epirbs-
on engineered seawater cooling systems on a report for a new-requirements — Ed.]
simple outboard-powered vessel. By cutting out irrelevant AMSA DCV Safety Alert 08/2020
information, surveyors can reduce administrative time and

The Australian Naval Architect 36

 EDUCATION NEWS
UNSW Canberra time and who still goes into his office regularly), plus Phil
Helmore (27 years) and David Lyons (20 years), who steered
Introduction the UNSW naval architecture ship in recent years, would
As announced in various places in August (including a all acknowledge that the University had long been looking
joint media release from the Minister for Defence, Senator closely at the program’s viability.
the Hon. Linda Reynolds CSC, and the Minister for The decision to close was met with disappointment and some
Defence Industry, the Hon. Melissa Price MP, and a UNSW resistance and protest from within the University, from the
Canberra Media Release, both dated 18 August 2020) and Royal Australian Navy, from the maritime industry and from
as subsequently highlighted in the August edition of The alumni, but it was not to be overturned. In the way of things,
ANA with a Letter to the Editor from Rear Admiral Col as one door closes, another opens; and a proposal was made
Lawrence RAN, Head Navy Engineering (p.4), a mention by to stand up a new naval architecture program at UNSW
the President of the Australian Division, Gordon MacDonald Canberra (the same university but a campus geographically
(p.2) and an article in the Education News (p.44), I, with dislocated from Sydney and focused on supporting
my UNSW colleagues Ahmed Swidan and David Lyons, am Australia’s Defence establishment). This proposal was
indeed embarking on a new endeavour to stand up a new ultimately negotiated and agreed, culminating in the very
Naval Architecture degree program in UNSW Canberra at positive announcements that were made in August this year.
the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA). We are all
excited about the prospect! UNSW Canberra
For those of you unfamiliar with UNSW Canberra and its
UNSW Sydney
home at the Australian Defence Force Academy, let me
While not wanting to duplicate what has already been describe it briefly for you. As a tri-service officer-training
published, we do want to share some thoughts about the institution, ADFA opened its doors to Midshipmen and
journey we are taking. It would be remiss not to firstly Officer Cadets in 1986. The vision for such an institution
acknowledge the foundations laid at UNSW Sydney had its roots in the 1950s. A first significant step towards
(Kensington), a foundation on which we will surely be its realisation was the military services recognising the
building. The first Bachelor of Engineering graduate in value of a university education alongside officer training.
naval architecture from UNSW was Brian Robson in It was in the 1960s that the services independently moved
1963. Since then over 400 have successfully navigated to incorporate university degrees in their training and
the program which, until the Australian Maritime College education frameworks. In 1960 the Royal Australian Air
(AMC) began teaching naval architecture and graduated Force (RAAF), using Point Cook in Melbourne as their
their first naval architects in 1992 (Michael Hunn and Gregor RAAF College, built a relationship with the University
MacFarlane), was the only place at which you could study of Melbourne to incorporate a degree program. In the
naval architecture at university level in Australasia. As one of process, the RAAF College became the RAAF Academy. It
those UNSW graduates myself (in 1982), I know our chosen followed that the Army, operating from the Royal Military
field is specialised and tightly knit. Indeed, that characteristic College (RMC), Duntroon, and the Navy, using HMAS
is one which attracted me to it, along with a chat when I Creswell on Jervis Bay, both negotiated with UNSW
was in Year 12 with Prof. Tom Fink, whose comments Sydney to provide the academic input to their respective
rang much like those of Water Rat to Mole: Believe me, my officer education processes. In 1968, UNSW established
young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half the Faculty of Military Studies at RMC, offering degrees
so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats” alongside military training over a 4-year (arts and science)
(Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows). I was drawn and 5-year (engineering) period. A different model by the
to a professional community which was small, where it was Royal Australian Naval College required Midshipmen to
possible and reasonable to expect to engage nationally and study at HMAS Creswell for one year and then complete
internationally and build a broader perspective. Besides their degrees by attending the UNSW Sydney campus for
having an interest in ships, boats and the sea, being one in the remainder of their study.
the order of a hundred naval architects in Australia sounded
It was then in 1976, under the Fraser Government,
much better than being lost in an ocean of thousands of civil
that approval-in-principle was ultimately given for the
or mechanical engineers. Being a student in a class of 10 or
establishment of a tri-service academy. However, it was not
12 was also appealing.
until 1980 that the Bill establishing ADFA passed through the
During the last decade, the UNSW enterprise moved to House of Representatives. In 1981, an agreement between
review all courses across all faculties, short listing some UNSW and Defence was signed and construction began
600 courses with less than 25 enrolments. This review on the site adjacent to RMC. It was a natural choice for
sought to rationalise/prune offerings and improve delivery UNSW as the university provider in the new Academy and
efficiencies; a totally understandable thing to do as a the UNSW Faculty of Military Studies staff moved “over
business. The naval architecture program’s consistent yet the hill” to form UNSW Canberra’s nucleus.
small footprint was scrutinised, and a decision was taken
In the early days of ADFA, it was predominantly seen to
to close the program, with no new enrolments from 2018. I
be an undergraduate teaching institution. Some excellent
believe that Em/Prof. Lawry Doctors (who retired in 2005
research was done, but ADFA’s purpose, and that of UNSW
after contributing to the NA program for some 35 years full
in partnership with Defence, was clearly to educate the
November 2020 37
leaders of tomorrow’s Defence Force. The military students and multidisciplinary optimisation. Across all these is a
(midshipmen and officer cadets), then and now apply to clear opportunity to develop naval architectural/maritime
first become members of the Australian Defence Force related projects. Examples could be a systems approach
(ADF) passing through officer selection boards, and then to maritime capability and design development, studies in
secondly, for university entry. Until the late “noughties” all vulnerability and survivability, and the use of CFD for novel
undergraduate students at ADFA were military. They were in hydrodynamic solutions.
uniform and they have consistently numbered 1000–1200 to The breadth of SEIT activity, but our relatively small
meet Defence force recruiting demands. However, there have specific discipline groupings, dictates that we cannot do
been increasing numbers of sailors, soldiers and airmen who everything, nor have everything available in terms of
have transitioned into the officer ranks coming to ADFA to equipment and facilities. That said, we are well resourced.
gain a degree, and they thus form the mature-age “advanced We have the fastest gun for projectile impact dynamic
student” cohort. This wholly-military demographic began to research in the Southern Hemisphere. We have an advanced
change in 2011 with, firstly, a cohort of civilian engineering set of cyber-security laboratories. We have wind tunnels
students sponsored by Defence and, more recently, in and shock tunnels and hypersonic tunnels and flumes. We
2016 with regular fee-paying civilian engineering students also have nationally- and internationally-respected centres:
joining the student body. However, since ADFA is a military the Capability System Centre, UNSW Canberra Cyber,
establishment, and with its primary focus being for the UNSW Canberra Space, and the Centre for Quantum
military, the numbers of civilians in each discipline and Computation and Communication Technology. What we
year group is capped. don’t have in the maritime space is a towing tank, or a ship
In contrast, at the postgraduate level, UNSW Canberra manoeuvring basin, or a bridge simulator, or a training
operates as a normal civilian university. There is no vessel. However, we do have an existing cooperative and
requirement for connection with the military to study here collaborative agreement with the AMC to be able to access
as a postgraduate coursework or research student. Perhaps their facilities and expose our students to them. We look
this has been misunderstood or not well advertised to the forward to building that relationship with the AMC. We
Australian population because of our military location and also have local access to the ADFA pool and boatshed which
association, but it is gaining greater attention and publicity could support experimentation and student experience. We
in the 21st century, and numbers are growing. clearly, too, have the benefits of a special relationship with
The ADFA environment has evolved, while maintaining Defence and the Navy.
its primary mission, to now be a vastly different place to Our Head of School, Professor Scott Tyo, wrote to staff
what it was in 1986. Specifically, for UNSW Canberra, the recently with reference to the School’s mission statement,
original 12 schools comprising the University College have which is to foster Australia’s future technology decision
amalgamated over time to become four schools and the makers and advance the technological state-of-the-art
resulting School of Engineering and Information Technology to shape our region’s defence and security future. He
(SEIT) is now the largest school in all of UNSW (based on summarised that “SEIT aspires to create an engaging and
staff numbers). The relationship between the Commonwealth supportive learning environment where:
and the University has also become more formalised with a • the people who want to contribute to Australia’s
regularly-reviewed agreement and rolling contract between defence and security future choose to be;
the parties for delivery of education (undergraduate and
• world-leading research informs an outstanding
postgraduate). The postgraduate coursework students
educational experience; and
now significantly outnumber the undergraduates and the
research student numbers more closely align with trends • Australia’s leaders begin their educational journeys
on the Sydney campus. The uniqueness of the ADFA and return throughout their careers to become the
environment does present some challenges for attracting best in their fields.”
research students, as the opportunity to transition students He also emphasised that “We focus on Defence. We are
directly from the undergraduate student body to research proud of it. We are good at it. We are not afraid to say it.”
degrees is minimal. Those in uniform leave immediately Returning to the class size issue which led to the closure of
after graduation for further training and to join ships, the naval architecture program in Sydney, this is not an issue
squadrons and units. in the context of UNSW Canberra. Indeed with 1000–1200
undergraduate students, the staff/student ratio is very good
School of Engineering and Information for the students. A standard year-based cohort for mechanical
Technology and civil engineering may number 15–20. Our vision for
SEIT currently offers degrees in the traditional disciplines of naval architecture is in the order of 15 students per year
Aeronautical, Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. group, being a mix of trainee officers and civilians.
We are the only institution in the ACT doing so, which was
an argument for opening up to fee-paying students. The Naval Architecture
School’s research focus areas span the multidisciplinary As stated earlier, the team which has been assembled to
areas of advanced electromagnetics, advanced materials and deliver the naval architecture program comprises Ahmed
impact dynamics, control, hypersonics, imaging, optimisation Swidan, David Lyons and myself. It is possible that others
and design, and trusted autonomy. Underpinning these is may be recruited and part-time or sessional support may be
expertise in relevant fields such as materials, structures, engaged, and that other staff in the School may contribute
structural response, fluids, fluid-structure interaction, design but, for the time being, we are the team. Ahmed served as a

The Australian Naval Architect 38

marine engineer in the Egyptian Navy and in the merchant but it also represents a conscious effort to tailor the program
marine, earned a PhD from the AMC, and was lecturing there for Navy in support of the current Defence White Paper,
before joining UNSW Canberra in 2018. David, following the continuous naval shipbuilding policy, and the requisite
a significant management and consulting career, joined foundational skills development in the discipline.
UNSW Sydney part-time in 2000 and full-time in 2014, and The disciplines of mechanical and aeronautical engineering
worked shoulder to shoulder with Phil Helmore and Mac as currently taught at UNSW Canberra have significant
Chowdhury in delivering the naval architecture program commonality. The differences between the standard
there until its demise. He transferred to UNSW Canberra aeronautical and mechanical engineering degrees are six
and SEIT in September this year, bringing with him much core courses and three electives for aeronautical versus five
corporate knowledge. I had a 20-year naval architecture core courses and four electives for mechanical engineering.
career in Navy Office before taking up an academic role One of these differences occurs in the second year:
with UNSW at ADFA in 1998 and have been, inter alia, Fundamentals of Flight for aeronautical versus Mechanics
responsible for the maritime-flavoured technical electives of Machines for mechanical engineering. Therefore, there
in the School since then. are eight differentiating discipline courses in the third and
As a team, we aspire to build a world’s best practice naval fourth years.
architecture program at UNSW Canberra, but we desire, In line with the existing mechanical and aeronautical
as does Navy, our distinction to be a grey-ship focus. This engineering programs, eight differentiating discipline
is in line with the Navy sponsorship of the program which courses in third and fourth years are proposed for the naval
we expect to be rolled into the main agreement when next architecture program, building on a common foundation
negotiated. It is noted that Navy operates vessels of all types with mechanical and aeronautical engineering. However,
but, to begin with, we expect that our emphasis will be on these eight courses are prescribed as a mega specialisation
surface ships, including high-speed craft and not submarines. within the School, and less opportunity for free choice in
We will begin with the undergraduate program and, in time technical electives will be the result.
and as appropriate, grow postgraduate offerings and more-
At UNSW Sydney, the naval architectural program had also
specialised electives. We will accept research students as
run in parallel with mechanical engineering for the first
they align with our, and the broader School’s, interests and
two years. This led to an arrangement whereby students
capabilities.
who satisfied the requirements of the first two years of an
Given the rich history made at Kensington, this might be accredited mechanical engineering four-year degree program
seen as a transfer of the program from Sydney to Canberra, at any Australasian tertiary institution could be admitted

UNSW Canberra students and staff at Pacific 2019 — a shape of things to come
(L to R) SBLTs Sean Buckland, Jeremy Witherspoon, Simon von Limont and Cameron Harper
with A/Prof. Warren Smith and Dr Ahmed Swidan
The students presented papers on their Year 4 thesis projects related to developments for Subs in Schools
(Photo courtesy Alaa Osman)

November 2020 39
into the third and fourth years of the program leading to the Australian Maritime College
Bachelor of Engineering degree in naval architecture. The
proviso was that the Head of the School be satisfied that Understanding Underwater Collisions
the courses studied at the other institution were equivalent, A world-first research facility which was opened at the
and that their recommendation was given. This arrangement Australian Maritime College in October has state-of-the-art
is similarly proposed for the program at UNSW Canberra, equipment which will aid better understanding of underwater
and it might be considered a “2+2 model”. This will be collisions.
advertised, and it is expected that several students in the The appropriately-named Underwater Collision Research
naval architecture program will take advantage of this Facility (UCRF) is the outcome of a four-year collaboration
transfer opportunity. between Defence Science and Technology (DST) and the
So, at this stage, as we write program and course learning AMC. Under a Collaborative Research Agreement, Defence
outcomes, frame courses and scaffold materials, we seek Science and Technology funded the purchase of equipment
stakeholder input to help us assure that our aspiration to and the University provided the building capital works and
build a world’s best practice naval architecture program is support infrastructure to house the facility at its Newnham
achieved. We have prepared a survey and will be distributing Campus.
it through the community but, in the event that we have not The UCRF aims to provide means through which the
identified you or your organisation as a target recipient, and complex, fluid-structure interactions involved in underwater
you would like to contribute to our success, please do not collision events can be studied scientifically under laboratory
hesitate to contact me via email ([Link]@[Link]) or conditions. Accurate knowledge of the response of the fore-
other means. We will be seeking information about your end structure of a submarine vehicle involved in a collision
expectations of graduates, the number of naval architects is important to the safety of the submarine structure and
in your organisation, your preferences for problem-solving its crew.
tools, your willingness to provide work experience/
Developing an understanding of this behaviour may be
internships/supervision and sponsorship of projects and
considered somewhat similar to work performed to prove,
your ability to host visits.
and improve, the crashworthiness design of motor vehicles,
Summary but in water. Through this work, the technical risks associated
In closing, it is important to note that our program has with underwater and near-surface collisions, will be able to
still to be taken through the University’s Academic Board be accurately assessed, so that effective mitigations may
processes so, officially, the naval architecture program be introduced.
does not yet exist. Therefore, we cannot yet advertise for The UCRF equipment includes an 18 kJ drop-weight impact
students. We are also not yet listed as an available program tower capable of performing water backed experiments, a
in the Universities Admission Centre (UAC) system. But 1.2 kJ drop-weight impact chamber to perform fully-flooded
all these things should be in place by mid-2021 and the first experiments, a 900 000 fps high speed camera and a high-
third-year naval architecture courses will be taught in 2022. resolution laser scanner.
This means that our first graduates have already begun their The Defence Minister, Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds
university education journey somewhere, being in first year CSC, said that the UCRF was an exciting development
(or higher) in 2020. The invitation will be there for those which would provide a better understanding of the impact
who are interested to join us. of underwater collisions. “Researchers will look at ways
Thus, the keel has been laid. We are, in 2020 and 2021, of  improving ship and submarine design which will keep
preparing our materials on the slipway. And then, all being our Navy crews safer by improving the safety of our
well, in 2021 we will have launched, and we will be truly submarines  and autonomous underwater vehicles,” Senator
under way in 2022! Reynolds said.
A/Prof. Warren Smith University of Tasmania’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rufus
Naval Architecture Program Coordinator Black, said that the facility added to an existing suite of
School of Engineering and Information Technology maritime research facilities which are the most advanced
UNSW Canberra in the Southern Hemisphere.
The UCRF will be a centrepiece of the University of
UNSW Sydney Tasmania’s Maritime Defence Innovation and Design
Graduations Precinct to be developed on the Newnham campus.
Nelson Tsang has completed his workplace integrated learning Australian Maritime College Principal, Michael van Balen
(the new term for industrial training!) requirements, and AO, said that the UCRF would advance AMC’s aim for the
graduated on 17 August with his degree in naval architecture MDIDP to become an integral part of the national Defence
with Honours Class 2 Division 2. Congratulations, Nelson! Network.
UNSW Sydney has two students still to graduate; both have “The UCRF will add innovative research knowhow to
completed coursework requirements, have completed their the work already done at our unique research facilities to
workplace integrated learning placements, but have yet to advance defence and defence industry requirements,” Mr
submit their reports, and are expected to graduate early in van Balen said.
2021. The UCRF could also play a role in:
Phil Helmore • Collision and design assessment of autonomous
The Australian Naval Architect 40
 underwater vehicles (AUVs) including those “These apprentices get the opportunity to learn new skills
substantially constructed of composites. with our industrial partners in South Australian businesses
• Shock qualification tests for equipment used on naval alongside experienced welders and boilermakers in
platforms. preparation to work on the future submarine program.
• Support to offshore industry, such as in relation to “Our first two apprenticeship intakes received a lot of interest
pipelines and offshore structures subjected to impacts. and I expect that it will be no different with this latest round
opening today.”
Naval Group Apprentices The managing director of local SA business Smart
Fabrication, Simon Kennedy, said that apprentices learned
Naval Group Australia has opened the call for its largest
new skills and were making a strong contribution to local
apprenticeship intake to date with applications open for
businesses.
apprentice fabricators to start in 2021.
“The apprentices get to work with, and learn from, some
The call for applicants for this latest round is expected to
of the best welders and fabricators that we have here at
see at least 13 new apprentices commence in early 2021
SmartFab,” Kennedy said. “We teach them the key skills
and follows the successful placement of eight apprentices
they need while they gain a qualification and earn a wage —
in local SA businesses in 2020.
giving them the opportunity to set themselves up for life.”
Naval Group Australia shipyard operations manager, Rory
Johnstone, said that the Attack-class submarine program was The 13 apprentices will have the opportunity to work in
seeing a significant number of jobs created, including many Naval Group Australia and MEGTs host network including
apprenticeships across all trade disciplines. Samaras Group, a multidisciplinary heavy engineering and
construction company, or Smart Fabrication, a manufacturing
“Manufacturing 12 regionally-superior submarines over
and engineering fabrication company.
the next few decades is delivering benefits to our country,
local industry, local communities and creating thousands of Once the apprentices have completed probation, they receive
jobs,” Johnstone said. a letter of intent which will allow them to take up a role
with Naval Group Australia following their apprenticeship
“This includes both direct roles within Naval Group
and become one of the first tradespeople to work on the
Australia and indirect jobs created to support the new
submarine program.
program including all major trade types, engineering, project
management, finance and the supply chain.

Nuyina Progress

After a month-long journey of nearly 3800 n miles, Australia’s new icebreaker RSV Nuyina arrived in the Netherlands at the end of
August for the final stages of her testing and commissioning. The relocation of the ship to Damen’s Vlissingen shipyards from Romania,
where work was suspended due to COVID-19, will enable equipment manufacturers to check and test the installation of her complex
systems. The ship was towed to the Netherlands because she needs to undergo sea trials before the issue of regulatory certificates
required to conduct international voyages under her own power. After sea and ice trials, the ship is expected to be delivered to her own-
ers, the Australian Antarctic Division, in her home port of Hobart in mid-2021
(Damen photo courtesy AAD)

November 2020 41
 MARITIME AWARDS
LR Maritime Safety Award 2019 • The panel concluded that the Lifecell constitutes a
The RINA Lloyd’s Register Maritime Safety Award for 2019 float-free package which improves the availability
was won by Australian company, Life Cell Marine Safety, and effectiveness of safety gear, over and above a
the designer and manufacturer of Life Cell, an innovative “grab bag”, for use by survivors when a small craft
float-free buoyant device which stores all essential marine sinks.
safety equipment, and is designed to keep people together • Given the number of recreational and small
in the water and provide a stable platform from which to commercial craft, this product has potential to enable
facilitate rescue. the saving of many lives.
The judging panel commented: The award could not be announced as usual at the RINA
• When considering maritime safety, it is easy for a 2020 Annual Dinner, and so was officially announced at
professional society such as RINA to overlook the the Annual General Meeting which took place online on
recreational and small commercial sector. 14 May 2020.
• It is easy to limit consideration of maritime safety to It is also worth noting that another Australian company, ASC
vessel design and the carriage of mandatory safety Shipbuilding, won the LR Maritime Safety Award in 2017
equipment. for a shipyard rapid fire-response system.
• It is also easy to overlook measures which would
improve the effectiveness of mandatorily carried
safety gear.

RINA - Lloyd’s Register

Maritime Safety Award
The Institution believes that safety at sea begins with good design, followed
by sound construction and efficient operation. Whilst naval architects
and other engineers involved in the design, construction and operation
of maritime vessels and structures do not have a patent on such issues,
nonetheless their work can make a significant contribution. Nominations may be up to 750 words and
should describe the technological contribution
The Institution also believes that it has a role to play in recognising which the individual, company or organisation
has made in the field of design, construction and
achievement of engineers in improving safety at sea. Such recognition
operation of maritime vessels and structures.
serves to raise awareness and promote further improvements.

The Maritime Safety Award is presented by the Institution, in association

Nominations may be forwarded online at:
with Lloyd’s Register, to an individual, company or organisation which [Link]/maritimesafetyaward
has made a significant technological contribution to improving maritime
or by email to:
safety. Such contribution can have been made either by a specific activity
maritimesafetyaward@[Link]
or over a period of time. Nominations may be made by any member of
the global maritime community, and are judged by a panel of members Nominations should arrive at RINA
of the Institution and Lloyd’s Register. The Award will be announced at the Headquarters by 31 January 2021
Institution’s Annual Dinner.

Queries about the Award should be

forwarded to the Chief Executive at:
Nominations are invited for the 2020 Maritime Safety Award hq@[Link]

Safety Award [Link] 3 10/08/2020 [Link]

The Australian Naval Architect 42

 EILY KEARY AWARD

The Royal Ins�tu�on of Naval Architects is commi�ed to Nominations may be up to 750 words and
ensuring that all individuals, regardless of gender, faith should describe the contribution which the
individual, company or organisation has
or ethnicity, have equal opportunity to par�cipate fully in
made.
all the Ins�tu�on’s ac�vi�es. The Ins�tu�on also seeks to
encourage such equality of opportunity and involvement
Nominations may be forwarded online at
throughout the global mari�me industry. [Link]/EilyAward

The annual Eily Keary Award recognises the contribu�on or by email to

by an individual, organisa�on or part of an organisa�on to EilyKearyAward@[Link]
increasing equality, diversity and inclusion in their sector
of the mari�me industry. Such contribu�on may have Nominations should arrive at RINA
been made by a specific ac�vity or over a period of �me. Headquarters by 31st Jan 2021.
Individuals may not nominate themselves for the Award
Queries about the Award should be
Nomina�ons are now invited for the 2020 Eily Keary Award. forwarded to the Chief Executive at:
hq@[Link]
The Award will be announced at the Institution's 2021
Annual Dinner.

[Link] 1 03/06/2019 [Link]

RINA-
Maritime Innovation Award
Innovation is key to success in all sectors of the maritime
industry and such innovation will stem from the
development of research carried out by engineers and
scientists in universities and industry, pushing forward the
boundaries of design, construction and operation of
marine vessels and structures
Nominations may be up to 750 words
The Maritime Innovation Award seeks to encourage and should describe the research and its
potential contribution to improving the design,
such innovation by recognising outstanding scientific or
construction and operation of maritime
technological research in the areas of hydrodynamics, vessels and structures.
propulsion, structures and material which has the
potential to make a significant improvement in the design, Nominations may be forwarded online at
construction and operation of marine vessels and structures [Link]/maritimeinnovationaward

The Award is made annually to either an individual or an or by email to:

organisation, in any country. Nominations for the Award maritimeinnovationaward@[Link]
may be made by any member of the global maritime
Nominations should arrive at RINA
community, and are judged by a panel of members of the Headquarters by 31st January 2021.
Institution and QinetiQ. The award will be announced at
the Institution’s Annual Dinner. Queries about the award should be
forwarded to the Chief Executive at
Nominations are now invited for the 2020 Maritime Innovation hq@[Link]
Award. Individuals may not nominate themselves, although
employees may nominate their company or organisation.

November
Qinetiq [Link] 2020
1 06/08/2020 43
[Link]
 INDUSTRY NEWS
New Chief Operating Officer for Austal defence relationship with Australia was based on deep
historical and cultural ties, reinforced by strong operational
On 21 September Austal announced that Ian McMillan has
cooperation.
been appointed Chief Operating Officer of Austal Australia,
effective January 2021, following the transition by Patrick “The UK and Australia have always been natural allies and
Gregg to Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director this agreement demonstrates this Government’s ongoing
in the new year. commitment to the Type 26 shipbuilding program whilst
supporting our Australian allies in designing and building
Austal’s Chief Operating Officer will be based in Henderson,
the Hunter-class frigate.
Western Australia, and will have responsibility for Australia,
Philippines and Vietnam shipbuilding and sustainment “As we look to the future of our respective navies, our shared
operations, as well as management of Austal’s interests in continued cooperation will benefit not only our close alliance
the Aulong commercial shipbuilding joint-venture in China. but will also support the industrial supply chain to grow
each nation’s shipbuilding sectors,” UK Defence Secretary
Ian McMillan joins Austal from BAE Systems Australia,
Ben Wallace said.
where he has held several senior executive roles since 2013,
including Director of Shipbuilding and General Manager, The Australian Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon.
Shipyards Western Australia. In his most recent role as Linda Reynolds CSC, said that there are currently seven
Director, Maritime Sustainment, Ian was responsible for Australian companies contracted for work on the UK’s
leading BAE Systems Australia’s national sustainment Type 26 programme.
business comprising more than 1000 employees across “This agreement supports the close co-operation between
five locations around Australia, supporting multiple vessel UK and Australian industry,” Minister Reynolds said.
classes for the Royal Australian Navy. “We are already seeing the benefits of cooperation on the two
Announcing the appointment, Austal’s Chief Executive programs, with Australian workers involved in the Type 26
Officer, David Singleton, and CEO-Designate, Patrick build ready to come home and help build the Hunter-class
Gregg, said that Ian McMillan’s 36-year depth of experience frigates in South Australia.
in the Australian and international defence industries, “This Government is committed to delivering a continuous
particularly in naval shipbuilding and sustainment, will add naval shipbuilding program and the Hunter and Type 26
great value to Austal’s Australasian operations. programmes provide significant opportunities to capitalise
“I am very much looking forward to working with Ian on our shared industrial capability with the UK.
to further develop Austal’s Australasian operations and “The MoU will support successful delivery of Australia’s
maximise the opportunities ahead — in both defence and Hunter-class frigate program, while also growing key
commercial shipbuilding and sustainment,” Mr Gregg said. defence capabilities in Australia.”
“Ian’s experience in winning and delivering major defence
contracts and operating effective, efficient shipyards and
Australian Steel for Hunter-class Frigate
sustainment operations will undoubtedly help us grow our Prototyping
business and achieve even greater returns on our strategic In September the prime contractor for the Hunter-class
investments throughout the region,” he added. frigate program, ASC Shipbuilding, signed a contract
with South Australian company Infrabuild Steel Centre to
Australia and the United Kingdom Cooperate support the manufacturing of the frigates at the Osborne
on Frigate Programs South shipyard.
In October Australia and the United Kingdom (UK) further The contract is for the supply of around 120 t of Australian
strengthened their enduring defence relationship by signing steel which will be used to support the construction of the
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on Hunter-class frigates.
building and delivering the next generation of cutting-edge The Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds
frigates. CSC, said that the contract was a testament to the continued
The MoU reinforces both countries’ commitments to progress which was being made in the program.
working together on delivering these important high-profile “This contract follows my earlier announcement this year
national programs and maximising mutual opportunities. of a contract with Bluescope Steel to provide steel for the
A key aspect of the MoU is a pledge for information prototyping blocks. Both contracts are prime examples of
exchange to ensure that shipbuilding best practice is shared growing our national naval shipbuilding enterprise with the
and both frigate programmes deliver world-beating maritime support of Australian steel,” Minister Reynolds said.
capabilities to the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy. “The steel from Infrabuild’s Port Adelaide facility will be
The agreement also sets out a framework to enable both used to make an initial six jig wagons which will hold and
nations to utilise the Type 26 and Hunter-class programmes support the movement of ship parts around the state-of-the-
to create jobs and contribute to the growth of the UK and art Osborne shipyard.
Australian economies, seeking to support small and medium- “A total of 13 jig wagons will be manufactured, with the
sized enterprises. fabrication of the jig wagons from this contract marking the
The UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said that the UK’s first work being done in the new yard.

The Australian Naval Architect 44

Austal Acquires BSE Maritime Solutions ASC Contract for Sydney Engineering
On 23 October Austal announced that it is building on Company
its growing global support business by entering into an The prime contractor for the Hunter-class frigate program,
agreement to acquire the Australian-based BSE Maritime ASC Shipbuilding, has signed a contract with Sydney-based
Solutions Group (BSE Maritime Solutions). The acquisition professional services company GHD Group Limited (GHD)
of the business is at an enterprise value of $27.5 million. to provide up to 40 highly-skilled Australian engineers to
BSE Maritime Solutions is a leading ship repair and support the prototyping at the Osborne South Shipyard.
support business for defence, commercial, tourism, and The Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds
luxury vessel customers, operating in Cairns and Brisbane. CSC, said that the contract demonstrates the role that the
Current customers include the Australian Border Force, National Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise plays in creating
BAE Systems, Thales, and Svitzer. BSE Maritime Solutions 15 000 jobs for Australians.
employs approximately 60 permanent staff who will be
“These engineers will form part of the broader shipbuilding
offered employment with Austal.
workforce which is expected to grow to more than 6000 by
The acquisition aligns with Austal’s stated strategy of 2030 to support a sovereign shipbuilding industry” Minister
continuing to build the company’s key support business. Reynolds said.
Revenue from Austal’s support segment has grown at an
“The shipbuilding workforce is at the forefront of modern
annual rate of 28 per cent over the past four years to reach
naval ship design and construction, driving a digital
$360 million in the 2020 financial year, providing reliable
transformation of Australia’s advanced manufacturing and
ongoing revenue in addition to Austal’s shipbuilding
engineering sectors” she said
operations.
The Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon. Melissa Price
Austal’s Chief Executive Officer, David Singleton, said
MP, said that the engineers would work across a range of
“BSE Maritime Solutions is a quality business and its
disciplines including structural, outfit, layout and electrical
acquisition aligns with our stated strategy of growing our
until 2023.
support division, adding further scale to our operations on
the east coast of Australia in addition to our existing support “The creation of these jobs complements the work which
services at Henderson, Cairns, and Darwin. ASC Shipbuilding is doing to upskill their current workforce
to work on the Hunter-class program through their Diploma
“In particular, the acquisition provides Austal with dockyard
of Digital Technology” she said.
and ship-lift capability in the northeast region of Australia
— including the Pacific’s largest mobile boat hoist, capable PMB Defence Canadian Contract
of moving 1120 t — supporting our existing and future
customers and reinforcing our commitment to grow in PMB Defence (PMB) has won a contract to supply
the region. It further enhances our in-service support submarine batteries to the Canadian Government for its
capabilities, currently provided across multiple facilities Victoria-class submarines.
in Cairns, for the Austal-designed and built Cape-class and The Adelaide manufacturer, formerly known as Pacific
Guardian-class patrol boats.” Marine Batteries, will manufacture the lead-acid battery
Under the acquisition agreement, expected to settle at the systems at its state-of-the art production, research and
end of November 2020, Austal will acquire all of the shares development and engineering facilities adjacent to the
in BSE Maritime Group Ltd, Brisbane Slipway Holdings Osborne Naval Shipyard.
Pty Ltd, and Brisbane Slipways and Engineering Pty Ltd. Built in 2020, the facility is designed for the primary role

Austal has entered into an agreement to acquire BSE Maritime Solutions

(Photo courtesy Austal)

November 2020 45
of manufacturing the main storage battery systems and Whiskey Project Group, this expanded family of watercraft
sustainment of Tier 1 submarines, including Australia’s will offer their Federal and State Government partners the
Collins-class boats. industrial assurance and efficiencies of dealing with one
PMB Defence’s CEO, Stephen Faulkner, said “The contract sovereign provider, one supply chain of over 50 Australian
with Canada builds on the capability grown from the Collins- SMEs, and 100% design authority.
class submarine programme in Australia and various new The deal includes Naiad, the New Zealand-based naval
technology programmes we have with other international architecture business which YWE itself acquired earlier
customers. this year from founder Steve Schmidt. Naiad boats are built
“This work further endorses our strategic objective to be the under license around the world for military, law enforcement
world’s most credible designer and supplier of submarine and rescue-agency vessels, as well as commercial owners.
battery systems.”
Indigenous Supplier for Hunter-class Frigate
The Royal Canadian Navy operates four Victoria-class
Program
conventional submarines which have been active in the
service since 2003. The first Indigenous supplier has been contracted to the
In June PMB purchased the EnerSys submarine battery Hunter-class frigate project. ASC Shipbuilding has signed
business which, together with the new factory, has turned a contract with Indigenous Australian company, TQCSI-
it into an internationally-oriented manufacturing business. Yaran, to commence work during the prototyping phase of
the Program.
Whiskey Project Group Acquires Naiad The Adelaide-based company will audit and undertake
Design and Yamba Welding quality, safety, health and environmental systems certification.
The Sydney-based Whiskey Project Group has acquired The Minster for Defence, Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds
the Australian boat manufacturer Yamba Welding and CSC, said that the prototyping phase is on track to begin
Engineering (YWE) and the New Zealand-based naval next month.
architecture firm Naiad. “Prototyping is an essential phase in the building of any
The Whiskey Project’s tactical watercraft, Whiskey Alpha, complex warship. This will ensure that ASC Shipbuilding’s
was launched at Pacific 2019, and featured integrated workforce are thoroughly trained in using the state-of-the-
technologies, complete modularity and a hull manufactured art digital equipment in one of the world’s most advanced
from carbon-composite materials. shipyards at Osborne in Adelaide,” Minister Reynolds said.
“The formation of the Whiskey Project Group secures “I am proud that BAE Systems Australia’s Reconciliation
advanced maritime manufacturing capabilities in Australia, Action Plan and strategic relationship with the Indigenous
with a natural cross over of technology and skilled labour Defence and Infrastructure Consortium (iDiC) is opening
between government, specialist and leisure sectors over up new opportunities for Indigenous businesses to win work
time,” said co-founder Darren Schuback. and be an important part of the Hunter-class program.
YWE, established in the northern New South Wales coastal “Indigenous businesses who are contributing to Defence
town of Yamba by Bill Collingburn in 1974, is a supplier programs are not only a key part of the Australian economy,
of watercraft for police, Marine Rescue NSW, coast guard, but are also providing jobs and supporting the community
VMR, and defence in Australia. In the past 10 years YWE they represent.”
has built more than 200 vessels for Australian Federal TQCSI Yaran is a majority indigenous-owned and operated
and State Government agencies, including the Australian business partnered with the Indigenous Defence and
Defence Force, Australian Border Force and maritime Infrastructure Consortium. The iDiC has proven capability
security agencies, whilst Naiad, whose designs are built in various direct and indirect procurement services to support
under license around the world, are popular for a wide range large defence and infrastructure projects.
of Federal and State Government military, law-enforcement ASC Shipbuilding, the prime contractor for the Hunter-class
and rescue-agency vessels, as well as commercial, tourism, frigate program, is a subsidiary of BAE Systems Australia
recreational and superyacht tender applications. As the which has developed a Reconciliation Action Plan and a
Strategic Relationship Agreement with the iDiC.
Both initiatives provide opportunities for Indigenous
suppliers to become part of BAE Systems’ supply chain.

More Opportunities for Australian Industry

The Australian Government is examining more opportunities
for Australia’s local industry in the Hunter-class frigate
program with three feasibility studies for Australian industry
to participate in the build phase of the first three frigates.
The prime contractor, ASC Shipbuilding, has engaged
Queensland-based Craig International Ballistics to
Police patrol boats built by Yamba Welding and Engineering investigate an Australian solution for ship bridge windows
(Photo courtesy YWE) and armour protection.

The Australian Naval Architect 46

Adelaide-based REDARC Defence Systems has also been hydrostatic guides in all linear axes, as well as the thermo-
engaged to explore an Australian solution to LED lighting. symmetrical design of the milling unit with its integrated
A third Australian company, the West Australia-based C axis. Milling heads can be changed automatically via a
propeller manufacturer VEEM, is conducting a study head change interface. Five different machining heads were
to examine security requirements for local propeller selected for use on this project. The high-performance fork
manufacture in Australia. milling head features not only the ability to use the tool at
any angle, but also the necessary prerequisites for heavy-
Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds
duty machining on five axes simultaneously. Alternatively,
CSC, said that the feasibility studies demonstrates the
the machine can be used with one straight and one angled
Government’s commitment to maximising Australian
100 kW milling head with a torque of 7500 Nm. A turret and
industry content in the construction of Defence’s new anti-
a horizontal facing head are available for turning operations
submarine warfare frigates.
on the components.
“These feasibility studies announced today build on a
The large, multifunctional machine supplied by Starrag from
feasibility study already underway into locally-manufactured
its Bielefeld, Germany, plant gives the operator optimum
main reduction gearboxes for future Hunter-class batches,”
access. According to Starrag, the operator can reach any
she said.
point on the workpiece thanks to the spacious cabin, which
ASC Shipbuilding has committed to achieving 58% travels along the gantry and features a Siemens operator
Australian industry content over the life of the acquisition panel. The cabin can reach a height of 8 m and be moved
contract. towards the centre of the table.
The study findings are expected to conclude by the end of The gantry’s robustness was a factor in its selection. Starrag
this year. was able to support this from the success of a previous project
carried out in South Australia, for which Starrag supplied
Large Machine Tool for Submarine Project
four machines for aircraft construction. The company
To help construct the Attack-class submarines at Osborne in believes that, with proper maintenance, the machine will be
South Australia, a 5-axis gantry machine is to be supplied operational throughout the entire run of the project.
by the Switzerland-based Starrag Group.
Described as Australia’s largest machine tool, Starrag Aegis Combat-system Upgrade
is supplying a Droop+Rein G 110TT HR100 C vertical It was announced on 1 September that the RAN’s Hobart-
gantry machine which is capable of handling both large class destroyers will undergo an Aegis combat system
hull elements and high-precision components for submarine upgrade. The ships will also have an Australian-developed
construction. This large production machine features interface installed to integrate the Aegis combat system with
traversing paths of 14 x 13 x 3.5 m in the X-Y-Z axes and the rest of the ship’s systems.
an 11 m turntable.
The Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds
CSC, said the Hobart-class destroyers are the most capable
and lethal warships Australia has ever built, increasing our
interoperability with the United States and allowing us to
work even closer with our allies and partners.
“As part of the Government’s $270 billion investment
outlined in the 2020 Force Structure Plan, we recognise
that advanced long‑range and hypersonic missiles and
directed-energy weapons require the ADF to continuously
build robust air and missile defence capability options,”
Minister Reynolds said.
“The Aegis combat system is the brain of Navy’s integrated
air and missile defence capability. In the face of compressed
timelines and to protect Australian forces, Defence
The Droop+Rein G 110TT HR100 C vertical gantry machine requires the agility to sense, decide and take action against
to be supplied to Australia
(Image courtesy Starrag) contemporary and future threats.”
“Recently at RIMPAC 2020, HMAS Hobart successfully
Starrag is collaborating with the Australian machine tool
conducted coordinated surface‑to‑air missile firing
manufacturer H&H Machine Tools Australia. H&H will
demonstrations using the current version of the Aegis
manufacture key components, supply qualified personnel
combat system, demonstrating interoperability with the
to help install the gantry, and provide technical support for
United States and our ability to field air missile defence
the entire life cycle of the machine, securing an ongoing
capabilities.”
role in servicing and maintenance in the future. Starrag will
provide H&H with the necessary expertise through onsite “The upgraded version of the Aegis combat system for
training and quality control, transferring critical skills and the Hobart-class destroyers will also be installed in the
autonomous ability to Australian industry. new Hunter-class frigates, providing Defence with world-
leading technology while improving sovereign shipbuilding
According to the company, the Droop+Rein G 110 TT
capability.”
HR100 C owes its high precision to features such as the
November 2020 47
As part of the Government’s enterprise approach, the the first for a large cruise vessel to incorporate Wärtsilä’s
Australian interface will be designed and developed by Micro Auto Gasification System (MAGS), a novel
Saab Australia, leveraging their combat management system technology which converts waste to energy, allowing the
experience gained across the rest of Navy’s surface fleet. unit to be fuelled by synthetic gas from the waste. This is
The Australian interface will also be common across both an eco-friendly solution which creates significantly lower
the Hobart and Hunter classes. levels of greenhouse gas emissions than conventional
Work in Australia to install the new Aegis combat system incinerators, thus meeting sustainability targets set by the
and Australian interface in Navy’s destroyers and frigates ships’ owner.
is planned to commence in 2024. The Wärtsilä entertainment systems have been designed
by Wärtsilä to provide the highest level of quality and
New Orders for Wärtsilä in Cruise Ship performance which will ensure the ultimate passenger
Sector experience. For these new ships, Wärtsilä Entertainment
will not only supply turnkey entertainment systems, but
Wärtsilä is working with the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri
also LED architectural lighting, as well as the public
for the supply of a broad range of equipment to be installed
address and general alarm systems.
in a number of cruise ships currently being built by the
yard. The latest orders are for complete waste-treatment The waste-treatment systems are scheduled for delivery
systems and fresh-water generators for two vessels — the in the fourth quarter of 2021. The entertainment systems
order was placed in July 2020 — and for the entertainment will be delivered in line with the vessels’ delivery dates
systems for two new series of ships totalling eight vessels commencing in 2022.
in all, the first orders for which were placed with Wärtsilä Earlier, in 2019, Wärtsilä received orders from Fincantieri
in the first quarter of 2020. In August 2020 Wärtsilä was for twenty Wärtsilä 46DF dual-fuel engines, twenty
additionally contracted for a complete technological Wärtsilä 46F engines, eight Wärtsilä LNGPac fuel storage,
package supply for two other vessels, including Wärtsilä supply and control systems, two Wärtsilä hybrid scrubber
46F engines, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) solutions, systems, as well as Wärtsilä Selective Catalytic Reduction
hybrid scrubbers, automation, navigation and local (SCR) solutions, and Wärtsilä gas valve units for the cruise
entertainment systems, low location lights, valves, public ships under construction at the yard.
address and general alarm systems. All these ships are
owned by different cruise operators. Wärtsilä meets Needs of Canadian Coast
The waste-treatment solution includes the handling of both Guard Icebreaker
wet and dry waste. Wet waste is treated with Wärtsilä’s
Wärtsilä won a contract in July for the delivery and
Membrane Bioreactor technology and includes upstream
integration engineering of two retractable thrusters and a
handling which meets and surpasses the latest IMO
dynamic positioning (DP) system for CCGS Amundsen, a
regulations. The dry-waste package to be supplied will be
Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) icebreaker.

Wärtsilä is working closely with the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for the supply of a broad range of equipment to be installed in a
number of cruise ships being built by the yard
(Image courtesy Fincantieri)

The Australian Naval Architect 48

 CCGS Amundsen
(Canadian Coast Guard photograph)

Wärtsilä was able to meet the CCG’s challenging The Wärtsilä engines are double resilient mounted, and
requirements for build quality and fitting the equipment comply with the DNV VIBR vibration classification. This
in the existing space of the 98 m long, 1979 built Arctic smooth-running capability is of special importance for
Class 3 medium icebreaker, the only vessel in its class to be a hospital ship with onboard surgical operations taking
fitted with retractable thrusters and DP. The new thrusters place. The supporting maintenance contract is part of
will be integrated with the existing bow thruster, which is the company’s Lifecycle Solutions offering. It provides
also a Wärtsilä product. guaranteed operational reliability with performance targets
“The Platinum DP system will exceed the functionality determined from measured data. The measurable indicators
desired by the CCG, and will enhance the DP capacity of can include, for example, availability, reliability, and fuel
the vessel to perform sailing and manoeuvring operations. consumption. The agreed targets are reached through
By offering the most intuitive user interface on the market, automated key performance measurements, optimised
Platinum DP also reduces the training requirements for maintenance, and remote advisory.
successful system operation. The user interface plays Previous hospital ships have all been conversions from
a critical role in helping operators make the most of the passenger ships and other vessels. The 174 m long,
system in the trying conditions found in Canada’s Arctic 37 000 t Global Mercy is a one-of-a-kind ship. She features
waters,” said Mike Ford, Sales Manager for Americas and 12 decks, two of which are for the hospital, including
DP at Wärtsilä Voyage. six operating theatres, 102 acute care beds, and 90 self-
The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery in care beds. The vessel accommodates a crew of up to 641
September 2021. volunteers, and additional space can host up to 950 people
at any one time when in port.
Wärtsilä powers World’s Largest NGO
Hospital Ship
Wärtsilä announced in October that Mercy Ships, a
philanthropic organisation providing essential healthcare
to needy patients in developing countries, will be utilising
its engine technology in the organisation’s new hospital
ship.
When completed, Global Mercy will be the world’s largest
vessel of its kind, and will be powered by four Wärtsilä
32 engines. Wärtsilä will also provide a five-year service
maintenance agreement.
The comprehensive agreement covers parts, field service,
asset monitoring, and full technical support to keep the
hospital ship running at all times. Mercy Ships expects The latest Mercy Ships’ floating hospital, Global Mercy, will be
to take delivery in 2021, and the ship’s maiden voyage is powered by four Wärtsilä 32 engines supported by a five-year
service maintenance agreement
planned later in the year to Africa where crew will provide (Photo courtesy Mercy Ships)
vital surgical care at no cost.
November 2020 49
 MEMBERSHIP
Australian Division Council Next Meeting of Division Council
The Council of the Australian Division of RINA met on The next meeting has been tentatively scheduled for the
the afternoon of Tuesday 15 September 2020 by tele- afternoon of Tuesday 8 December 2020.
conference under the chairmanship of our President, The draft minutes of the meeting are available to Council
Gordon MacDonald, in Airlie Beach with links to Cairns, members on the Council forum and are available to other
Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, members by request to the Secretary.
Launceston, Adelaide and Perth.
Among the items discussed were:
Pacific News
Registration as Not-for-profit While events over the past couple of months have conspired
to prevent me compiling a Pacific News column for this
Council continued progressing with its efforts for registration
issue, it should be noted that the recent Australian Budget
under Australian law, noting that the Institution is registered
included provision for an Australian-Solomon Islands border
as a Charity in the United Kingdom.
and patrol boat outpost (see [Link]
Division Representation on Institution’s (London) SPI/defence-pacific-engagement/[Link]).
Council
Rob Gehling
As a number of members of the Division are understood to Secretary
be interested in joining the Institution’s Council, Division ausdiv@[Link]
Council was informed that the Call for Nominations was Phone 0403 221 631
normally published in RINA Affairs towards the end of the
year. Changed contact Details?
Walter Atkinson Award 2020 Have you changed your contact details within the last three
Council thanked the WAA panel for its work and endorsed months? If so, then now would be a good time to advise
its selection of the Pacific 2019 IMC paper by Sally Garrett RINA of the change, so that you don’t miss out on any of the
and Tom Durrant Characterising the Southern Ocean and Head Office publications, The Australian Naval Architect,
Ross Sea Wave Climate, (nominated by NSW Section and or Section notices.
published in the May 2020 edition of The ANA) as the best Please advise RINA London, and the Australian Division,
paper presented to a Division forum in the year to 30 June. and your local section:
Given that the authors are based in New Zealand, Council
RINA London hq@[Link]
authorised the Secretary to make arrangements with the
Australian Division
winners for presentation of the Award.
rinaaustraliandivision@[Link]
Coordination of Section Technical Meetings Section
Council agreed in principle to the development of a Division ACT rinaact@[Link]
calendar page on the website to facilitate coordination of NSW rinansw@[Link]
technical meetings so that the virtual meetings can be readily Qld ash@[Link]
attended by members across the Division. It was agreed that SA/NT rinasantdiv@[Link]
coordination arrangements should be made between the Tas gregorm@[Link]
respective Section meeting coordinators. Vic keeganparker@[Link]
Appointment of new Chief Executive WA [Link]@[Link]
Council noted that Chris Boyd had been appointed to Phil Helmore
succeed Trevor Blakeley as Chief Executive, commencing
on 1 November 2020.

NOMINATIONS FOR DIVISION COUNCIL

Nominations are invited from Corporate Members (MRINA or FRINA) and Associate Members (AMRINA) for election
to Division Council for a term of two years from March 2021. The majority of these elected members must be
Corporate Members. Nominations, which must be in writing and include the signatures of the proposer, seconder and
nominee, should be received by the Secretary no later than Thursday 31 December 2020.

Rob Gehling
Secretary, Australian Division
Mail: PO Box 462, Jamison Centre, ACT 2614
email: ausdiv@[Link]
Phone: 0403 221 631

The Australian Naval Architect 50

 NAVAL ARCHITECTS ON THE MOVE
The recent moves of which we are aware are as follows: Minh Pham moved on from the Shipbuilding Industry
Zia Ahmed has moved on from Thales Australia (in Sydney, Corporation in Vietnam in 2016 and has taken up the position
but commuting from Canberra) and has taken up the position of Chairman and CEO of Vietnam Shipbuilding Engineering
of Senior Systems Engineer with Nova in Canberra, on in Hanoi, Vietnam.
contract to CASG Ships Division of the Department of Neil Pollock has moved on from DNV GL and is now
Defence supporting the acquisition-and-acceptance process consulting as Pollock Energy Consultants in Brisbane,
for the RAN’s new AORs under Project SEA1654 Phase 3. supporting renewable energy and LNG projects onshore
Michael Andrewartha continues as Principal Engineer with and offshore in Australia and South-east Asia.
VEEM, but has recently taken on a part-time position as a Dauson Swied has been awarded his Master of Science
Fluid Dynamicist with [Link] in Perth, a company degree in advanced mechanical engineering by Imperial
developing electric propulsion technology for light aircraft. College, London, returned to Australia, and has now taken
Adam Brancher continues as Managing Director of Kedge, up the position of Project Engineer/Manager with Baker &
and has taken on the position of Managing Director of Provan in Sydney, providing heavy fabrication, machining
Southern Ocean Carbon, a carbon capture and sequestration and support services to the Defence, rail, mining and industry
start-up company, in Hobart. Friends can find out more about sectors.
the company at [Link]. Belinda Tayler has moved on from Noakes Group and is
Kathryn Dawes has moved on within the Naval Technical consulting as BT Marine, contracting to Defence as the Asset
Bureau, Department of Defence, and has taken up the Transition Manager for the MDMS SPO (Maritime Docks
position of Signatures Cell Lead in Canberra. and Marine Services System Program Office), a new SPO
which is looking after the DMS (Defence Marine Support
Nathan Gale has moved on within KPMG Australia and
Services) contract, which basically includes all the support
has taken up the position of Associate Director in Sydney.
craft and tugs for the Royal Australian Navy.
Mary Garcia moved on from Keppel Batangas Shipyard
This column is intended to keep everyone (and, in particular,
in the Philippines and took up the position of Project
the friends you only see occasionally) updated on where
Administrator at Noakes Group in Sydney three years ago.
you have moved to. It consequently relies on input from
Martin Grimm has resigned from the position of Signatures everyone. Please advise the editors when you up-anchor and
Cell Lead in the Navy Technical Bureau, Department move on to bigger, better or brighter things, or if you know
of Defence, following a career in the Navy Engineering of a move anyone else has made in the last three months. It
Division (under various guises), with shorter placements at would also help if you would advise Robin Gehling when
NQEA Australia, Transfield Defence Systems and Seastate your mailing address changes to reduce the number of copies
during that time. His intention now is to enjoy family life, of The Australian Naval Architect emulating boomerangs.
work on completing much-delayed home improvement
Phil Helmore
projects and, hopefully, still find time to pursue his hydrofoil
interests as a hobby.
David Lyons has moved on from UNSW Sydney and has THE AUSTRALIAN
taken up the position of Lecturer in the School of Engineering
and Information Technology with UNSW Canberra. He NAVAL ARCHITECT
will spend the next year developing the naval architecture
program to suit Defence requirements, and working mainly Contributions from RINA members
from his home in Queensland. Face-to-face teaching of the
Year 3 students will commence in Semester 1 of 2022 in for
Canberra, with that first cohort of naval architecture students The Australian Naval Architect
graduating at the end of 2023.
are most welcome
Adrian MacMillan has moved on within Woodside Energy
and has taken up the position of Sangomar FPSO Hull and
Marine Lead in Perth. Material can be sent by email or hard copy.
Murray Makin continues as Naval Architecture Support
Contributions sent by email can be in any
Manager at Thales Australia, Garden Island, in Sydney. common word-processor format, but please
Sean Mason has moved on from the WA Department of use a minimum of formatting — it all has to
Transport and has taken up the position of Senior Naval be removed or simplified before layout.
Architect with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority
in Perth. Photographs and figures should be sent as
Doug Matchett has moved on within the Australian Maritime separate files (not embedded) with a minimum
Safety Authority and has taken up the position of Naval
resolution of 200 dpi. A resolution of 300 dpi
Architect in the Flag State Control section in Sydney, but
now working from home in Wollongong in these COVID-19 is preferred.
restricted times.

November 2020 51
 FROM THE ARCHIVES
Ferry Rodney Incident
Rodney was one of the Rosman ferry fleet, built in 1937 by W.L. Holmes and Co. of North Sydney. Her 80 hp (60 kW)
Vivian diesel engines could push her to 8 kn. The wooden ferry was 16.9 m long, had a beam of 4.7 m and was 33 tons
gross. She was licensed to carry 211 passengers, 60 upstairs and 151 on the main deck.
In January and February 1938, USS Louisville (CL/CA-28), water to rescue those thrown from the ferry. Seven sailors
a Northampton-class cruiser, undertook a Pacific goodwill from Louisville dived from the cruiser before an order for
tour which took her to Hawaii, Samoa, Australia, and Tahiti. action stations was called. Life jackets, four lifeboats and
In Sydney Harbour for 18 days, she was one of seven foreign two motor launches were quickly lowered from the cruiser.
warships in Sydney for the sesquicentenary of the arrival of
the First Fleet at Sydney Cove.
On the afternoon of Sunday 13 February 1938, thousands of
Sydneysiders came to watch Louisville leave for Melbourne.
The cruiser, with 600 uniformed sailors lining the decks,
left her berth at Woolloomooloo with bands playing and
onlookers cheering. She made her way towards the Sydney
Heads under the command of Captain Robert Mathewson.
Among the scores of vessels following the cruiser down the
harbour was Rodney, skippered by owner Charles Rosman,
whose passengers had paid a shilling to see off the American
cruiser. Rodney had 150 passengers on board, less than Barrenjoey and other ferries and craft rescuing passengers
her total licensed limit of 211. However, as the ferry drew from the sunken Rodney on 13 February 1938
(Photo from Daily Telegraph website)
alongside Louisville, excited passengers rushed upstairs
so that the upper deck was carrying about 100 passengers, Louisville took 26 survivors on board, 18 of whom were
well in excess of the upper deck’s limit of 60, and making unconscious and taken to the ship’s hospital for treatment
the ferry top heavy. by a navy surgeon; all but one survived. Cambrai’s crew
rescued 20 and bandsmen attempted resuscitation on her
Between Garden Island and Bradleys Head, Rodney’s
deck. A large motor cruiser, Celere, took on board 15.
passengers shouted to the skipper to take the ferry around
to the cruiser’s port side. As the ferry changed course Survivors were brought ashore at the Man o’War Steps,
to pass behind the stern of the larger ship, the crowd adjacent to what is now the Sydney Opera House. 12
rushed over from ferry’s port side to the starboard side, ambulances ferried 100 people to Sydney and St Vincent’s
giving her a list. The shift in mass caused the ferry to roll hospitals.
precariously in Louisville’s wash, and Rodney began to Initially, police had thought 27 had died; however, before
capsize with passengers falling down the steeply-sloping morning, eight of the missing had turned up. The final death
deck. Passengers spilled into the water and the boat rolled toll was not confirmed until the ferry was raised from the
over and sank within a couple of minutes in 15 m of water. bottom of the harbour and the bodies of seven of those
trapped inside were recovered; 19 people died, of whom 17
were women, one a man and another a seven-year-old boy.
Louisville continued to Melbourne that night. Two days
later a ceremony was held on board and a wreath dropped
at sea by the ship’s seaplane. Some crew flew to Sydney the
following Saturday to attend funeral services for victims.

Rodney listing to port before capsize on 13 February 1938

(Photo courtesy Bill Allen)

Passengers grabbed at floating seats or each other to stay

afloat. Others had been knocked unconscious and drowned.
Passengers on the lower deck inside who could not break
windows to escape were taken down to the bottom with
the ferry.
The police launch Cambrai, carrying the police band, gave
Rodney being raised from the harbour bottom on 16 February
four sharp whistle blasts in a call for assistance. The Manly 1938 by the Maritime Services Board’s steam sheerlegs
ferry Barrenjoey and 20 launches were nearby and came to floating crane
assist. 16 band members aboard Cambrai jumped into the (Photo courtesy Australian National Maritime Museum)

The Australian Naval Architect 52

 ferry business into the 1970s. Damages of £200 was awarded
to one of the survivors, Laura Nagrint. As part of the ruling,
the judge stated that if the fine was not paid within three
weeks, the ferry would be put up for sale to cover the costs.
Regis was put up for auction by the High Court on 27 June,
but the highest bid of £1500 was below the assessed value.
Her name was changed again in 1939 to Regalia and she
continued to serve in the Rosman Ferries fleet, moored at
Mosman Bay through to the 1980s. She was used on Botany
Bay in the 1980s and in 2004 sank in the Georges River off
Taren Point and was broken up.
Wikipedia
[The Rodney incident subsequently started the Maritime
Services Board’s Chief Naval Architect, Bill Armstead, on
Rodney emerging from the water
a quest for stability criteria (then in their infancy) against
(Photo courtesy Bill Allen) which he could check the stability of Rodney and, then,
other commercial vessels. He ended up with a copy of Jaako
After re-floating, Rodney was refitted and renamed Regis
Rahola’s doctoral thesis, The Judging of the Stability of
and returned to service. On 14 May 1938, the boat was
Ships and the Determination of the Minimum Amount of
repossessed by the mortgagee but rented by Rosman from
Stability — Especially Considering the Vessels Navigating
June, still under the name Regis.
Finnish Waters (a stability landmark published in 1939;
On 1 May 1939, the High Court of Australia found that the see The ANA, May 2017, Page 16). For many years, the
vessel had capsized through negligence. Charles Rosman watch-word at the MSB was “Remember Rodney”—Ed.]
lost his captain’s ticket for three years, although he ran his

A Pandemic Launching

Some are wearing face masks but social distancing was clearly to become a 21st Century concept. The official party and guests at a
Cockatoo Dockyard launching during the Spanish Influenza pandemic a century ago
(Photo John Jeremy Collection)

November 2020 53
The Manly ferry Freshwater giving her passengers a
taste of the sea on a regular voyage to Sydney from
Manly. Built by the State Dockyard in Newcastle and
completed in 1982, Freshwater and her three sisters
are now approaching 40 years old. The NSW Gov-
ernment plans to replace these popular ships with
400-passenger Emerald-class catamarans. It could
be a bumpy ride for some
(Photo John Jeremy)