MS Empress of Australia

Empress of Australia on Sydney Harbour, 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.^[3]

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

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

Empress of Australia was replaced in 1986 by 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 unsuccesful and lasted only 6 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.

On August 22, 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 August 23, 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 2 hours after the collision before sinking around 3 a.m.^[5]

At the time of sinking, she was carrying 516 people, consisting of 337 passengers and 179 crew.^[6] A majority of passengers were from Singapore, with smaller numbers from Britain, Australia, India, United States, Indonesia, Germany, Taiwan, and Canada.^[7] 193 passengers were rescued by the Japanese ship Marissa, while most others were picked up by the Greek ship Chapai.^[8] 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.^[9]

• "Empress of Australia Technical details". National Archives of Australia.
• "Empress of Australia". Bass Strait Passenger Ships and Passenger/Vehicle Ferries.