Aurora Australis is an Australian icebreaker

Icebreaker

An icebreaker is a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters. Although the term usually refers to ice-breaking ships, it may also refer to smaller vessels .For a ship to be considered an icebreaker, it requires three traits most...

. Built by Carrington Slipways and launched in 1989, the vessel is owned by P&O Polar

Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company

The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which is usually known as P&O, is a British shipping and logistics company which dated from the early 19th century. Following its sale in March 2006 to Dubai Ports World for £3.9 billion, it became a subsidiary of DP World; however, the P&O...

, but is regularly chartered by the Australian Antarctic Division

Australian Antarctic Division

The Australian Antarctic Division is an agency of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities . The division undertakes science programs and research projects to contribute to an understanding of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean...

 (AAD) for research cruises in Antarctic waters and to support Australian bases in Antarctica.

Design and construction

Designed as a multi-purpose research and resupply ship, Aurora Australis was built by Carrington Slipways in Newcastle

Newcastle, New South Wales

The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...

, New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

. The vessel was launched in September 1989. She weighs 3,911 tonnes, is 94.91 metres (311.4 ft) long, has a beam of 20.3 metres (66.6 ft), and a draught of 7.862 metres (25.8 ft). Propulsion machinery consists of two Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä is a Finnish corporation which manufactures and services power sources and other equipment in the marine and energy markets. The core products of Wärtsilä include large combustion engines...

 diesel engines: a V16 of 5,500 kilowatt output and a V12 of 4,500 kilowatt output. These drive a single, left-hand-turning controllable pitch propeller

Controllable pitch propeller

A controllable pitch propeller or variable pitch propeller is a type of propeller with blades that can be rotated around their long axis to change their pitch...

. Slow speed manoeuvring is achieved with three manoeuvering thrusters, one forward and two aft. Aurora Australis has a maximum speed of 16.8 knots (9.1 m/s), and a cruising speed of 13 knots (7.1 m/s). The vessel can break ice up to 1.23 metres (4 ft) thick.

The ship's crew is 24-strong. Up to 116 passengers can be carried, accommodated in three- or four-bunk cabins with attached bathrooms. Aurora Australis has a cargo capacity of 1700 cubic metres (60,034.9 cu ft) for break bulk or containerised cargo, and a supply tank that can hold 1 millilitre (9.00009000090001E-11 imp fl oz) of fuel.. The ship is fitted with laboratories for biological, meterological, and oceanographic research, and was designed with a trawl deck for the deployment and recovery of research instruments while at sea. The ship's hangar and helideck allow for the operation of up to three helicopters, usually Eurocopter Squirrels or Sikorsky S-76

Sikorsky S-76

The Sikorsky S-76 is an American medium-size commercial utility helicopter. The S-76 is powered by two turboshaft engines, which drive both the main and tail rotors, each with four blades...

s.

Operations

Aurora Australis is chartered by the AAD over the southern summer for research purposes, and to support the Antarctic bases operated by the AAD. The vessel spends most winters in port in Hobart, Tasmania

Hobart

Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...

, as the AAD headquarters is in the nearby town of Kingston

Kingston, Tasmania

Kingston is a township and region on the outskirts of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. Nestled 15 km south of the city between and around several hills, Kingston is the council seat of its wider municipality, the Kingborough Council, and today serves as the gateway between Hobart and the...

. P&O sometimes charter the ship for other work during winter.
On 8 May 2011, Aurora Australis was chartered by the Department of Defence

Department of Defence (Australia)

The Australian Department of Defence is a Federal Government Department. It forms part of the Australian Defence Organisation along with the Australian Defence Force . The Defence mission is to defend Australia and its national interests...

 for a two-month deployment (ending 30 June) as an amphibious transport ship supporting the Royal Australian Navy

Royal Australian Navy

The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...

. The charter, costing A$3.375 million, is to assist in the Australian government response to humanitarian crises and natural disasters, in the event that any occur while the naval heavy lift ship undergoes maintenance.

External links

• Breaking the Ice - blog from Aurora Australis by Australian Broadcasting Corporation
  Australian Broadcasting Corporation
  The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
  
   reporter Karen Barlow, during the January-February 2011 scientific trip to Mertz Galcier
• Webcam aboard Aurora Australis