SeaTransport's 73m Matilda 1, an Australian-designed stern landing vessel (SLV) under lease to support the US Marine Corps (USMC), has successfully undertaken beach landing trials in northern Australia.
It performed beach landing and de-beaching manoeuvres on 8 July, where the vessel landed astern onto Dundee Beach southwest of Darwin, Northern Territory, dropping her extra-wide ramp on the shore and holding position. She then successfully de-beached and headed out to sea in under 60 seconds.
The Queensland company, SeaTransport claims this is a milestone in the maturity and de-risking of the all-Australian design. The landing and de-beaching of Matilda 1 also successfully showcased the SLV’s capability in challenging littoral environments where seabed conditions and large tidal flows impact accessibility for conventional bow ramp landing craft.
The activity was conducted with USMC personnel on board and observed by members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). A week prior, Matilda 1 successfully passed dry out berthing trials in the mangrove mudflats of Hudson Creek, an estuary waterway in Darwin.
During both the beach landing and dry out berthing activities the tri-hull design of Matilda 1 protected the stern gear and prevented the hull suction effect that bedevils conventional flat-bottomed landing craft.
With a ship-like bow, Matilda 1 is capable of carrying 550 tonnes of cargo 4,000nm across open ocean in high sea states.
The cargo deck of Matilda 1, at almost twice the size of a standard tennis court, is able to accommodate bulk supplies, military vehicles and double-stacked shipping containers, the company claims.
The vessel will enable the USMC to support regional operational objectives and inform ongoing expeditionary requirements and concepts of operations.