Australia to Build New Hobart Wharf to Resolve Nuyina’s Refueling Problem

Australia is moving to resolve the refueling problem that is facing its flagship Antarctic research vessel RSV Nuyina. After public embarrassment over the problems, an agreement has been reached to build a fit-for-purpose wharf at the Port of Hobart.

The Tasmanian Government announced that, following the securing of US$130.6 million funding from the federal government, it has now commenced works on the redevelopment of the Macquarie Wharf 6 in Hobart. The project’s core mission is to provide dedicated berthing for Nuyina and act as a marine base for Australia’s Antarctic program.

Being the main financier of the project, the federal government has set conditions for the redevelopment of the wharf. Key among them is delivering a refueling solution for Nuyina and providing shore power for the $528 million research vessel while at port.

Also, the new facility must comply with other functional requirements for the Australian Antarctic Program (AAD). These include providing a home berth for Nuyina by supporting the requirement to load, unload, and lay up at the Port of Hobart and providing an operational berth for other vessels involved in Antarctic and scientific research.

The redevelopment of the wharf is critical for Nuyina’s operations. Since coming into service in 2021, the vessel has faced refueling challenges owing to the fact that she is too large to safely fit under Hobart's Tasman Bridge, something that has prevented her from reaching the bunker pier in the inner harbor. For this reason, the ship is forced to travel more than 600 kilometers (more than 370 miles) to another port in Burnie to refuel, a journey that adds almost $625,555 to her annual fuel bill.

The Tasmanian Government is highlighting that following the awarding of the contract for the redevelopment of the wharf to Hazell Brady JV in December last year, work for the project, which is of national importance, has begun. The work includes the demolition of the existing wharf, construction of a new wharf structure, provision of shore power, and upgrades to supporting port infrastructure and services. The project is being overseen by TasPorts, the operator of the Port of Hobart, and is scheduled for completion in 2028.

“This project secures Tasmania’s role as the gateway to East Antarctica and provides a permanent home tailored to the Nuyina – Australia’s world-class scientific and icebreaking ship,” said Murray Watt, Federal Minister for the Environment and Water.

The Macquarie Wharf 6 redevelopment is the first stage of the broader Macquarie Wharf Redevelopment project that is expected to be delivered in stages with Macquarie Wharves 4 and 5 set to follow. The overall objective is to expand Tasmania’s export and cruise capacity. The staged approach is designed to maintain critical port operations while positioning Hobart to support growing Antarctic, commercial, and cruise vessel movements.

It is not the first berth embarasment for Tasmania, either. Ferry operator TT-Line invested in two large ferries for the run between Australia and the Tasman city of Geelong, only for it to be discovered that the dock was incapable of handling the ships. They were being delivered starting in late 2024 and going into lay-up until the problem could be solved. Last October, it was revealed that “human error” had specified the wrong strength of fenders, and modifications would have to be made to the ferries and the fenders to prevent damage to the ships. The first of the ferries is now tentatively set to enter service in October 2026.