The HMAS Stalwart, constructed in 1968, was the largest Royal Australian Navy vessel completely designed and built in Australia. The HMAS Stalwart provided maintenance and repair services to other vessels so that destroyer warships could spend more time on duty. The ship was named for its reliability in servicing the Navy’s working fleet.
Specifications
- His or Her Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS)
- naval escort maintenance ship
- 2 × 6-cylinder Scott-Sulzer diesels of 5200 kilowatts driving twin screws
- overall length: 157.12 metres
- breadth: 20.57 metres
- capacity: 15 500 tons
- ship’s company: 25 officers and 392 sailors
- speed: 20 knots
Key Antarctic voyage
In 1985, when the Nella Dan became stranded in the pack ice for six weeks, ANARE chartered the HMAS Stalwart for one voyage to resupply sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island station.
Later life
The HMAS Stalwart was later used by the Navy as a training vessel. The ship was sold in 1990, and converted to a cruise ship. It was scrapped in 2003.