HMAS Westralia (O 195) - Design and Construction

Design and Construction

The vessel had a length of 171 metres (561 ft), a beam of 26 metres (85 ft), and a maximum draught of 12.03 metres (39.5 ft). Propulsion machinery consists of two SEMT Pielstick 14 PC2-2 V400 diesel engines, supplying the single, controllable-pitch propeller with 14,000 brake horsepower (10,000 kW). Maximum speed was 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph). The ship's company consisted of up to 96 personnel. The ship was configured to replenish two ships abeam (one on either side), or one following astern. Up to 25,000 tonnes of fuel were carried, including aviation fuel.

The vessel was originally built by Cammell Laird as Hudson Cavalier, one of four STaT 32 class oil tankers ordered by John Hudson Fuel and Shipping. She was laid down at the Birkenhead shipyard on 5 November 1973. After construction had started on three of the four ships, John Hudson found it could not afford to pay for the ships. Cammell Laird completed the three vessels, with Hudson Cavalier launching on 24 July 1975, and after sea trials were completed, all three were laid up in port while the shipbuilder sought to charter or sell them. On 27 October 1978, the Ministry of Defence expressed interest in chartering two of the tankers, and after conversion for use as an underway replenishment vessel, Hudson Cavalier entered service with the RFA on 8 June 1979 as RFA Appleleaf. The ship was acquired under a ten-year bareboat charter.