Icebreaker's costly refuelling detour could take years to fix

A solution to RSV Nuyina's refuelling issues could be some time. (Supplied: AAD) As part of a deal with the Commonwealth, the Tasmanian government needs to implement a solution in the coming months that allows Australia's Antarctic icebreaker to refuel in Hobart. But internal government correspondence shows most options to resolve the issue could take several years to develop. Until the issue is fixed, the ship will continue to refuel in Tasmania's north-west — at an additional cost of almost $1 million per year. Link copiedShareShare articleA costly refuelling issue affecting Australia's Antarctic icebreaker remains unresolved months out from a key deadline, with internal government documents revealing most fixes could take up to three years to implement. The RSV Nuyina, which has its home port at Macquarie Wharf in Hobart, has been forced to refuel at Burnie in Tasmania's north-west since 2023. That's because the Harbour Master rejected an application for the vessel to transit under Hobart's Tasman Bridge so that it could reach the city's marine refuelling depot. The refusal was linked to safety concerns about the ship's "directional stability", after computer simulations indicated it was at risk of colliding with the bridge's pylons. RSV Nuyina is not able to pass under Hobart's Tasman Bridge because of safety concerns. (ABC News) The 674-kilometre detour to Burnie has added almost $900,000 to the Nuyina's annual fuel bill. In 2024, the Tasmanian government agreed to develop a "refuelling solution" as part of a $188 million deal with the federal government to upgrade the aging Macquarie Wharf. The funding agreement stipulates the solution needs to be accepted by the federal government by the end of July this year and be "available for use" by the next Antarctic season in 2026-27. The deal includes a "milestone" payment from the federal government of $2 million if the state government resolves the situation by the deadline. Following the signing of the deal, the state government launched an expression of interest process in early 2025, seeking proposals from the private sector, including for a fuel barge or fuel pipeline. But government correspondence provided to the ABC under Right to Information (RTI) laws has cast doubt on the prospects of a solution being accepted by the July 31 deadline. "The Department of State Growth has undertaken industry engagement and market sounding, including an Expressions of Interest process, to identify a solution capable of meeting the timeframe for Milestone 3," the department told the Australian Antarctic Division on February 13. Several additional sentences in the one-page letter were blacked out. The department's RTI officer said they were redacted because the information included "specific solutions being considered for a potential procurement process", and that its release could expose the department to "competitive disadvantage". Several sentences of the letter were redacted before it was released. (ABC News) A separate State Growth letter sent on the same day to the federal environment department said the Tasmanian government remained committed to "fulfilling its requirements" under the terms of the Macquarie Wharf funding agreement. Late last week, the ABC put a range of questions to State Growth about the status of the refuelling solution, including: A State Growth spokesperson did not directly answer the questions, but confirmed work to resolve the issue was continuing. "We continue to work with the Australian government to identify a mutually agreeable refuelling solution for the RSV Nuyina and look forward to making further announcements in due course," they said. "The Macquarie Wharf 6 upgrade, including the refuelling solution, reinforces Hobart's strategic role as an Antarctic Gateway City and underscores the economic significance of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean sector to Tasmania." RSV Nuyina docks at Hobart's aging Macquarie Wharf when in its home port. (Supplied: AAD) The ABC asked the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) similar questions. A spokesperson said the AAD was in "regular discussions" with the state government about possible refuelling options in Hobart. "The Tasmanian government is responsible for the provision of a suitable refuelling solution for Nuyina, under its agreement with the federal government," they said. The Australian Antarctic Division says it's in "regular discussions" with the state government about possible refuelling options in Hobart. (Pete Harmsen: Australian Antarctic Division) One potential option that was considered in a 2023 report commissioned by the state government was the use of road tankers to refuel Nuyina. But the report noted that 64 road tankers would be needed to fill up the vessel, with each tanker taking at least two hours to transfer its fuel to the ship. Under that scenario, it would take more than five days, working 24 hours a day, to complete the job. The RSV Nuyina

Icebreaker's costly refuelling detour could take years to fix

Key takeaways

More in international