Tasmania Puts $126M Into Port for Controversial Antarctic Research Ship

 

The Australian state of Tasmania has secured $126 million for the redevelopment of Port of Hobart. This will make the port fit-for-purpose as the home port for the Australian icebreaking research vessel RSV Nuyina.

The funding will go into the rehabilitation of Macquarie Wharf 6 in Hobart, which RSV Nuyina is currently using as its base. The aging facility is in need of serious repair and redevelopment, and the construction of the wharf is now set to begin next year.

The financing ends years of disagreement between Tasmania and the Australian federal government over costs of the new wharf. TasPorts, the state-owned operator of the Port of Hobart, had put the original estimate for the upgrade at $344 million over 30 years. But the federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek described the cost as exorbitant and 14 times more than what the Commonwealth would pay for such a project.

In a leaked letter to the Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff in June, Plibersek insisted that the redevelopment of Macquarie Wharf 6 was a fundamental requirement in retaining Hobart as the home of the RSV Nuyina. The letter came at a time the state of Western Australia had expressed interest in building a base for Nuyina.

“We have locked Tasmania in as the home of Australia’s Antarctic Program for at least the next 30 years. Our Antarctic sector injects more than $120 million each year to the Tasmanian economy. We will also be delivering appropriate refueling infrastructure for the Nuyina and other vessels coming into Hobart,” said Rockliff.

Nuyina faced a series of equipment breakdowns after delivery, and she is too large to safely fit under Hobart's Tasman Bridge, preventing her from reaching her own bunker pier in the inner harbor. This design oversight has created difficulties for the Antarctic program, as Nuyina has had to transit to a different port to refuel. 

While the investment in Hobart will strengthen its position as a global gateway for Antarctic research, analysts believe that Australia needs to do more to retain its edge in the Antarctic. Australia has the largest claim of the Antarctic territory, covering nearly 5.9 million square kilometers, which is roughly 42 percent of Antarctica. However, China has ramped up presence in the region. Early this year, China opened its fifth research facility in Antarctica, significantly boosting its influence in the region. In addition, China has also begun construction of its fourth icebreaker, strengthening its capabilities in polar science.

In view of this progress, an Australian Senate inquiry recommended that the federal government should consider acquiring a second icebreaker. With just one icebreaking research vessel, Australia’s scientific capabilities in Antarctica are constrained, especially since Nuyina has been experiencing mechanical problems since it came into service in 2021. Further, Australia’s Antarctic Division has been experiencing budgetary pressures, with the government confirming last year that fixed-term contracts are under review.