Antarctic icebreaker RSV Nuyina is being put through its paces with a barrage of tests on the propulsion, bilge, ballast and other auxiliary systems.
The 190 tests are part of formal Harbour Acceptance Tests (HATs) and require all the systems on the ship to be powered up for the first time.
Antarctic Modernisation Branch General Manager Rob Bryson said the HATs were the first of three phases of tests and trials before the ship is finally delivered to its home port of Hobart.
“The HATs will ensure the ship is ready for the next stage in the trials process, which will be the Sea Acceptance Trials in the Black Sea,” Bryson said.
“These trials will test the propulsion system, sensor suites and all the main machinery, to make sure they meet the function and performance specifications.
“We’ll then move into the third phase of testing – Special Sea Trials – which will test the vessel in sea ice conditions in the Arctic. These trials will also test that the ship meets the noise requirements of its ‘Silent R’ rating, for silent operations when undertaking acoustic science.”
The HATs will run for about six months.
The RSV Nuyina will offer scientists unprecedented and extended access to the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. Replacing the Aurora Australis, the 160-metre long ship will face stresses normally experienced by a vessel of 300 metres due to imposing Antarctic conditions.
The word ‘nuyina’, meaning ‘southern lights’, is from the Tasmanian palawa kani language.