I’m here in Galati, Romania, to watch the construction of Australia’s newest icebreaker, the research vessel Nuyina.
It’s incredibly exciting to be here and see the ship in such an advanced state of construction, with decks laid, cables pulled, rooms prepared and a team of workers on, working to completion.
This ship is a remarkable addition to our Antarctic capabilities and it will deliver for us opportunities for science research, logistics, passenger transfer and fuel capabilities that we’ve never had before.
When she is launched in Hobart in 2020 she will be the most powerful ship in the Southern Ocean and a terrific contribution to our Antarctic efforts.
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Australian Antarctic Division Director, Kim Ellis, had his first close encounter with our new icebreaker RSV Nuyina in Romania recently.
Kim toured the ship at the Galați shipyards, as construction nears completion ahead of sea-ice trials early next year.
