Taking up ships from trade is a thing of the past for Australia, we have only 6 ships on the Register for international ships thanks to the slow and steady strangulation by the Maritime Union's excessively greedy demands. There is no way an Australian trading vessel can be profitable/competitive when crewed by Australians which is the main reason for the Lib govt's push to abolish cabotage.Sounds good.
Unfortunately our merchant fleet is a shadow of days gone bye. Does raise the question of what expectations modern industrial countries like Australia can have regards to mechant ships and who owns and crews them.
You would think a large island trading nation would have greater ownership of its maritime trade than we do. I think someone did some non strategic maths on that capability. No RFA for Australia.
The Spirit of Australia style ship would be an ideal Ship Taken Up From Trade.
RO RO with bunks,sound good but just not many of this type at our disposal.
For Australia the Navy will have do most of the heavy lifting.
I know that it bores may to tears but I would be more than happy to pay the money and ineffectivly use a third LHD as a pool of 3 for occasioal strategic transport.
The ship is designed to be many things, one of which is to carry containers and pallets in just such a role with cranes, lifts and conveyors sized accordingly.
Remember the HMAS Sydney that flew aircraft in the Korean war was later used as a transport on the run between Australia and Vietnan.
Not ideal I know just practical.
Buy LHD number three and have no regrets for it will pay for it's self many times over in the many hats it will wear over it's 30 plus year service life.
Regards S
The last product tanker lies immobilised in Devonport while 36 MUA members refuse to crew it and still they don't see that their actions have caused the demise of their jobs.
So.. Navy will have to do the heavy lifting with whatever hulls are in the ORBAT.