Australia's $528M Icebreaker Can't Refuel at Home Port Due to Bridge Restrictions

When the Australian government decided to spend $528 million on a state-of-the-art icebreaker, it was envisaged the ship would be able to refuel in its home port of Hobart.

But in 2023, the harbourmaster rejected an application for the RSV Nuyina to travel under the Tasman Bridge to reach city's marine fuel depot.

Since then, the Nuyina has had to sail to Burnie in Tasmania's north-west to fill up its tanks before heading south to Antarctica.

The 674-kilometre detour has added almost $900,000 to the ship's annual fuel bill.

Three years on, there's still no solution in place.

That's despite the Tasmanian government previously promising to find one by next month as part of an agreement with the federal government.

So, how did we end up here?

Is the ship too big to go under the bridge?

No, it fits fine.

The Nuyina is 35 metres wide across its bridge wings.

That's small enough to go between the central pylons of the Tasman Bridge, which are 73 metres apart.

The ship also has plenty of head room to get under the bridge.

Why can't it go under the bridge?

Two words: directional stability.

Ever since 1975, when a bulk carrier crashed into the pylons, ships of a certain size have needed approval to ensure they can safely pass under the bridge.

But when the harbourmaster assessed the Nuyina in 2023, he decided the risk would not be worth it, even with the ship's in-built redundancies.

A total of 109 computer simulations were conducted to examine how the Nuyina would perform if it were to go under the bridge.

The virtual ship ended up crashing into the pylons on four occasions.

It would have hit them a further 10 times if the simulation wasn't stopped mid-journey.

And it came dangerously close to the bridge on almost 50 per cent of the remaining computer-based assessments.

The Nuyina's relative lack of directional stability was linked to its rounded hull and its relatively large surface area, which can be heavily affected by wind.

Couldn't tugboats be used to escort the ship?

Fair question.

It's not uncommon to see tugboats shepherding larger approved vessels through the navigational span of the bridge.

But when the harbourmaster assessed the Nuyina in 2023, he found this was not a viable option.

"Exposing a tug to the side of vessel where the safe passing distance was diminishing would not only have an expectation of push at all costs but … very quickly escalate to both dire and fatal consequences if exercised in reality," his report stated.

Wouldn't a fuel pipeline solve the issue?

The marine fuel depot at Selfs Point is just 4 kilometres from the Nuyina's home port at Macquarie Wharf.

While a fuel pipeline seems like a simple solution, the logistics are tricky.

TasWater has been installing a new sewer main between Macquarie Wharf and Selfs Point.

But it says laying a fuel line alongside the sewer main would introduce serious risks.

"The trench is not wide enough to safely accommodate both lines … [and] if a break or leak were to occur in either the fuel or sewer line, their proximity could cause severe complications," TasWater's website states.

What about road tankers?

The Nuyina requires lots of fuel.

To spend up to 90 days at sea, its engines need about 4.2 million litres.

The ship can also carry an additional 1.9 million litres of cargo fuel to resupply Australia's stations in Antarctica and Macquarie Island.

A report commissioned by the state government in 2023 said a total of 64 road tankers would be required to fill up the Nuyina's tanks.

While the Australian Antarctic Division says road tankers have been used in the past for short voyages, they aren't considered a viable option for a "major refuel".

"It would be quicker to go to Burnie," the AAD's boss, Emma Campbell, told a Senate committee last month.

So, what happens now?

The Tasmanian government is actively considering three possible solutions.

The first is a fuel barge — but that will likely cost millions of dollars more than the government would like to spend.

The second is a fuel storage facility at Macquarie Wharf — but it wouldn't be ready until the upgrade is completed in 2028.

The third option is a backflip on the bridge ban.

While it would be the least expensive solution, it would require the approval of the harbourmaster.

And given his previous concerns, that would take a lot of convincing.

So for now, the Nuyina will continue refuelling at Burnie for at least the next 12 months.