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Bilge
keels tested
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Melville
on the slip in Cairns.
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Melville’s
brand new bilge keels and newly-scraped bottom.
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Having
recently returned from Op Relex II duties, HMAS Melville (HS BLUE
embarked) was slipped at Tropical Reef Shipyard in Cairns on September
2 as part of an extended maintenance period.
This was the first time the ship has been slipped since she was
commissioned in May 2000.
She was slipped to fit the ship with bilge keels in order to provide
a better sea-keeping capability.
The opportunity was also taken to perform routine hull/underwater
fitting maintenance. Melville came off the slip on September 11
and proceeded to sea off Cairns to undertake DSTO-sponsored sea-keeping
trials to check the effectiveness of the newly-fitted bilge keels.
Favourable weather and sea conditions did not meet the marginal
sea state conditions required for the trials, which, as a result
had to be postponed.
However, the ship was able to conduct a number of other platform
assessments including steady steaming, turning, speed and manoeuvring
trials in order to provide some indication of any effect the hull
modifications have had on ship handling and performance.
Having now rotated crews (from HS BLUE to HS WHITE) on September
25, Melville remains alongside in Cairns making preparations for
another deployment in support of Op Relex II.
With HS WHITE embarked, Melville will sail from Cairns in early
October for Darwin, where the ship will assume Op Relex II duties
from Leeuwin, which will then return to Cairns where she will enter
a similar maintenance period.
This period will also include a programmed slipping at Tropical
Reef Shipyard where Leeuwin also will be fitted with bilge keels.
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