Aus Icebreaker Nearing Completion

Preparations are ramping up for the arrival of Australia’s newest icebreaker, the RSV Nuyina. The Antarctic icebreaker is due to arrive in Hobart in 2020.

RSV Nuyina will be the main lifeline to Australia’s Antarctic and sub-Antarctic research stations and the central platform of our Antarctic and Southern Ocean scientific research.

Construction of the ship at Damen Shipyards in Romania commenced in May 2017, with a steel cutting ceremony, while a keel laying ceremony in August saw the first building-block of the ship consolidated in the drydock.

In September 2018 the ship was floated from the dry dock to the wet dock, for the next phase of construction. Construction is expected to be completed at the end of 2019.  

When complete, the ship will rise to 10 decks at navigation bridge level and measure 50.2 metres from the keel to the top of the weather radar.

The RSV Nuyina will offer scientists unprecedented and extended access to the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. Replacing the Aurora Australis, the 160-metre long, 24,000-tonne ship will face stresses normally experienced by a vessel of 300 metres or more due to imposing Antarctic conditions.