AURORA AUSTRALIS seen at Princes Wharf No. 1 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. 3/09/2016

AURORA AUSTRALIS is Australia’s Antarctic flagship.

On the 24th of February 2016, while docked near Mawson Station in Antarctica, AURORA AUSTRALIS broke her moorings during a blizzard. This resulted in the vessel running aground in Horseshoe Harbour, causing minor structural damage to her hull.

AURORA AUSTRALIS was refloated on 27th of February 2016. The vessel then departed Antarctica on the 2nd of March for Fremantle, Western Australia, where she arrived for repairs.

AURORA AUSTRALIS

Type: Research/Survey Vessel | Ice Class: LR 1A Super Icebreaker
Flag: Australian | Port of Registry: Hobart | Call Sign: VNAA
IMO: 8717283 | MMSI: 503043000
Owner: P&O Maritime Services - Melbourne, Australia | Operator: P&O Polar - Hobart, Australia
Designer: Wartsila Marine Industries - Finland
Year Built: 1990 | Country of Build: Australia | Builder: Carrington Slipways Pty. Ltd. | Location of Yard: Tomago
Keel Laid: 28.10.1988 | Launch Date: 10.09.1989 | Date of Completion: 29.03.1990
LOA: 94.91 m | LPP: 88.4 m | Beam: 20.3 m | Depth: 10.43 m | Draught: 7.862 m
GT: 6,574 | DWT: 3,893 | Displacement: 8,158 tons
Capacity: Break Bulk Cargo: 1,790 m3 | Supply Fuel in Tanks: 1,000 m3 | TEU: 29
Aircraft Carried: 4 helicopters | Aviation Facilities: Hangar and helideck
Deck Space: Trawl Deck: 100 m2 | Helideck: 400 m2 | Main Hatch: 210 m2
Deck Cranes: Three cranes of 25/31 (fitted with a 5 tonne hook for efficient cargo operations in open seas)
7/13 and 2 tonne SWL for cargo handling | Gantry Crane Stern: 4 tonne SWL Gantry
Number of Laboratories. 8
Ancillary Craft: 1 x 10 m steel twin screw tender craft fitted with 2 x 125 HP diesel. Speed 10 knots
Passengers: 116 | Crew: 24
Main Engines: 1 x Wartsila 12V32D 4500 kW / 6000 HP, 1 x Wartsila 16V32D 5500 kW / 7400 HP
Auxiliaries: 2 x Wartsila 6R22 900 kW, 1 x Wartsila 4R22 600 kW
Propellers: 1 x controllable-pitch propeller with nozzle
Thrusters: 1 x transverse bow thruster, 2 x retractable azimuth stern thrusters
Speed: Max: 16.8 knots, Cruising: 13 knots, Ice (1.23 metres thick): 2.5 knots

For those who may be interested, more details on AURORA AUSTRALIS can be found at:

http://www.antarctic-anare.info/auroraaustralis.pdf

A time-lapse video of AURORA AUSTRALIS on her most recent voyage can be found at:

http://www.antarctica.gov.au/webcams/aurora