MS Empress of Australia

"Royal Pacific" redirects here. For the hotel at Universal Resorts, see Universal Orlando Resort.

For other ships with the same name, see Empress of Australia.

Empress of Australia on Sydney Harbour in March 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	Sold, 1985 Sank after collision, 23 August 1992
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	250 passengers 91 cars

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 at the time. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

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] [6]} The ferry made three runs from Sydney to Tasmania every fortnight until 1972; one each to Hobart, Bell Bay and Burnie. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

In 1972, the ship was transferred to the Melbourne to Tasmania route, replacing the Princess of Tasmania . ^{[3] [7]} 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] [4] [5]}

Empress of Australia was replaced in 1986 by the 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 unsuccessful and lasted only six 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. ^{[4] [5]}

Sinking

On 22 August 1992, the Royal Pacific departed from Singapore for a three day, two night cruise off the coast of Malaysia and Thailand. In the evening of 23 August 1992, she was rammed by the Taiwanese fishing vessel Terfu 51 in the Straits of Malacca after the Tefru misjudged the distance needed to cross the path of the Pacific. The collision caused a six-foot hole beneath the water line of the hull. The ship remained above water for about two hours after the collision before sinking around 3 a.m. ^[8]

At the time of sinking, she was carrying 516 people, consisting of 337 passengers and 179 crew. ^[9] A majority of passengers were from Singapore, with smaller numbers from Britain, Australia, India, United States, Indonesia, Germany, Taiwan, and Canada. ^[10] 193 passengers were rescued by the Japanese ship Marissa, while most others were picked up by the Greek ship Chapai. ^[11] The collision resulted in 30 deaths, with most attributed to the crew's choice to abandon ship first. At the time of the collision the Royal Pacific was piloted by captain Anastasios Papagiannis. ^[4]

References

1. "Empress of Australia". shipspotting.com. 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
2. Goossens, Reuben (2011). "TSMV Empress of Australia". ssmaritime.com. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
3. Gillett, Ross (1989). Australian Ships. Frenchs Forest: Child & Associates. pp. 126/127. ISBN   0-86777-107-0.
4. Plowman, Peter (2004). Ferry to Tasmania: A Short History. Dural: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 108–117, 125–131. ISBN   1-877058-27-0.
5. ANL: a fleet history of Australian National Line, 1957 - 1999. St Silda South: Nautical Association of Australia. 2020. pp. 186–193. ISBN   9780975689646.
6. Empress of Australia In Service Australian Transport April 1965 pages 45-47
7. Re-shuffle of Bass Strait cargo services by ANL Freight & Container Transportation February 1972 page 6
8. Sunken ship's crew denounced Merced Sun-Star 25 August 1992 page 9
9. Passenger ship and trawler collide off Indonesia Philadelphia Inquirer 23 August 1992 page 3
10. Malaysian shipwreck leaves at least 4 dead The Californian 24 August 1992 page 6
11. Luxury cruise turns into nightmare Times-News 24 August 1992 page 13

External links

Media related to Empress of Australia (ship, 1964) at Wikimedia Commons