 Empress of Australia on Sydney Harbour, 1968
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Australia | |
| Name | Empress of Australia |
| Operator | Australian National Line |
| Builder | Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company, Sydney |
| Cost | $2.6 million |
| Yard number | 220 |
| Laid down | 11 September 1962 |
| Launched | 18 January 1964 |
| Acquired | 8 January 1965 |
| Identification | IMO number: 6405434[1] |
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics (as built)[2] | |
| Type | Ro-Ro passenger ferry |
| Tonnage | 12,037 GRT |
| Length | 443 ft (135 m) |
| Beam | 40 ft (12 m) |
| Draught | 20 ft (240 in) |
| Propulsion | MAN diesel engines, 2 shafts, bow thruster |
| Speed | 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
| Capacity |
|
Empress of Australia was a ferry operated by the Australian National Line. Ordered in 1962 by the Australian National Line and launched by Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company on 18 January 1964, Empress of Australia was the largest passenger ferry built in the world.[3]
From the time of her 16 January 1965 maiden voyage, the ship could carry up to 250 passengers in cabins, 91 cars, 16 trucks, and 160 intermodal containers.[3] The ferry made three runs from Sydney to Tasmania every fortnight until 1972; one each to Hobart, Bell Bay and Burnie.[3]
In 1972, the ship was transferred to the Melbourne to Tasmania route, replacing MS Princess of Tasmania.[3][4] She was modified at the State Dockyard: the installation of 190 reclining seats in the original lounge increased her passenger capacity to 440, and a deck was added at the aft end.[3] Empress of Australia began sailing between Melbourne and Devonport on 28 June 1972, and continued making Bass Strait crossings until 1986.[3]
Empress of Australia was replaced in 1986 by Abel Tasman, also a car ferry.[3] then renamed as Empress was sold to Cypriot owners and heavily refitted and converted into a cruise ship, in 1991 offered Mexican Riviera Cruises from San Diego, California to Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico, may be under Starlite Cruises managing, but these trips were unsuccesful and lasted only 6 months, she may be sold to an Asian Company in Singapore, then she was renamed Royal Pacific and began operations there, mainly for gambling-casino business.
- ^ "Empress of Australia". shipspotting.com. 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ^ Goossens, Reuben (2011). "TSMV Empress of Australia". ssmaritime.com. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g Gillett, Ross (1989). Australian Ships. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Child & Associates. pp. 126/127. ISBN 0-86777-107-0.
- ^ Re-shuffle of Bass Strait cargo services by ANL Freight & Container Transportation February 1972 page 6