HMAS Jervis Bay (GT 203) was a roll-on/roll-off passenger and vehicle ferry operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) between 1977 and 1994.
The ship was built by the State Dockyard between 1967 and 1969 for service with the Australian National Line, under the name MV Australian Trader. Initially operating on the Melbourne to Devonport run, Australian Trader was reassigned to the Sydney to Tasmania run in 1972. Passenger service on that run ended in 1976, and at the start of 1977, the vessel was purchased by the RAN for use as a training vessel and troop transport, and was renamed HMAS Jervis Bay.
After decommissioning in 1994, the vessel was sold to Voyager Marine, and renamed MS Agios Andreas. After modifications to increase her passenger and vehicle capacity, Agios Andreas commenced ferry services between Greece and Turkey in 1995. In 2003, she was sold to Marwan Shipping and Trading, renamed MS Ajman Leader, and began operations in the Persian Gulf. The ship was renamed MS Ajman City in 2004, but was sold for scrapping later that year.
The vessel was built as Australian Trader for the Australian National Line by the State Dockyard in Newcastle.[1] The vessel had a displacement of at standard load and at full load, a value and a value.[1] [2] The vessel was in length overall, with a beam of, and a draught of .[1] Australian Trader was propelled by two 16PC2 Atlantique 2V400 Pielstick diesels, which supplied to the vessel's two propeller shafts, and allowed her to reach .[1] [2] The ship was also fitted with a Voith-Schneider bow thruster.[3]
In her initial configuration, the ship could carry 190 passengers: 140 in single- or double-berth cabins, the rest in aircraft-style reclining chairs.[3] 110 cars could be carried in covered parking, with room for an additional 15 in peak conditions, split between the cargo hold and the orlop deck.[3] Larger vehicles (such as semi-trailers) or specially designed shipping containers could be stored on the open aft deck.[3] A stern door allowed for the embarking and disembarking of vehicles.[1] Public amenities onboard included an observation lounge, smoke room and bar, tavern, and a cafeteria (which initially sold only breakfast).[3]
Australian Trader was laid down on 18 August 1967, launched on 17 February 1969, and completed on 17 June 1969.[4] [5] [6]
On entering service, Australian Trader was assigned to Bass Strait crossings between Melbourne and Devonport; the ship departed from Melbourne on her maiden voyage on 24 June 1969, then commenced paid services on 29 June.[2] [3] [7]
In April 1972, the ferry was returned to the dockyard for modifications, prior to entering service on the Sydney to Hobart and Sydney to Bell Bay/Burnie routes.[2] [8] Because of the longer run, more crew needed to be accommodated; this was achieved by extending the superstructure and converting some of the passenger cabins to crew use, in turn reducing the passenger complement to 172. Australian Trader fared poorly on the run: the service was dogged by bad reviews of the ship's design and amenities, while maritime union strikes disrupted service.[9]
In June 1976, Australian National Line announced plans to cease passenger service between Sydney and Tasmania, with replacement by a cargo-only service aboard Bass Trader.[10] Although due to cease operations on 3 July, delays in the completion of the new vessel kept Australian Trader in operation until the end of July, when she was laid up.[10]
Starting on 6 October 1976, the RAN began to show interest in acquiring Australian Trader for use as a training ship and troop transport.[1] The ship was sold to the RAN on 28 January 1977 for $5.7 million, and began $720,000 worth of modifications for naval service, which included the installation of a new navigation bridge and the refitting of some passenger cabins into classrooms.[1] The vessel was commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Jervis Bay on 25 August.[4] Modification was not completed until January 1978.[1] Jervis Bay replaced the destroyer in the training role, with Duchess decommissioning in October 1977.[11]
Jervis Bays primary role was to facilitate the seamanship and navigation training of officer cadets, with logistic transport of Australian Army soldiers and equipment seen as a back-up capability.[1] In RAN service, the ship's company consisted of 14 officers and 163 sailors, with up to 76 trainees embarked at any time.[5] The ship did not carry any fitted weapons, and relied on small arms for defence.[1] The vessel's first training cruise occurred in February 1978.[1] In December 1980, trials to mate Jervis Bay with the landing craft were successfully performed in Sydney Harbour.[1] In 1987, the deckhouse was removed, and the ship's aft deck was strengthened to allow a single Sea King or similar helicopter; more extensive plans to allow the embarkation of a flight of six helicopters were shelved.[5] In December 1992, Jervis Bay was deployed via Townsville to Mogadishu in support of 1RAR and the US-led Operation Restore Hope.[12]
Jervis Bay paid off on 18 April 1994.[13]
The ship was put up for sale in October 1994.[14] On 23 December, she was sold to Liberian company Voyager Marine, renamed to MS Agios Andreas, and registered to Kingstown, Saint Vincent.[14] The ship sailed from Sydney on 14 January 1995; the voyage to Greece was made using the port engine only, as the starboard engine had been disassembled with the ship was to receive new engines in Greece.[14] Once in Greece, Agios Andreas underwent major modifications including the installation of new engines from the ships to be scrapped, fire damaged Ionian Express, extension of the superstructure along the length of the hull; this and other modifications resulted in a passenger capacity increase to 1,120 (316 in cabins), vehicle capacity to grow to 300 cars, and the ship's gross tonnage to become .[2] [14] On completion, the ship began ferry services between Greece and Turkey, under the operation of Greek company Med Link Lines.[14]
In November 2003, the ship was sold to Marwan Shipping and Trading of Comoros, renamed MS Ajman Leader, and began operations in the Persian Gulf out of Dubai.[2] In February 2004, ownership was transferred to Marwan Shipping and Trading of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and the vessel was renamed MS Ajman City.[2]
In September 2004, Ajam City was sold to shipbreakers, and was taken to Alang, India, for scrapping.[2]