HMAS Paluma (A 01)

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Career (Australia (RAN)) RAN Ensign
Namesake: Paluma, Queensland
Builder: Eglo Engineering, Adelaide[1]
Laid down: 21 February 1988[1]
Launched: 6 February 1989[1]
Commissioned: 27 February 1989[1]
Homeport: HMAS Cairns
Motto: "Search With Diligence"
Status: Active as of 2008
Badge: HMAS Paluma - Ship's Crest
General characteristics
Class and type: Paluma class survey motor launch
Displacement: 315 tonnes[1]
Length: 36.6 metres (120 ft)[1]
Beam: 13.7 metres (45 ft)[1]
Draught: 2.2 metres (7.2 ft)[1]
Propulsion: 2 Detroit V12 diesel engines[1]
Speed: 12 knots (22 km/h)[1]
Range: 3,500 nautical miles (23,000,000 km/h)[1]
Complement: 18[1]
Sensors and
processing systems:
2 x echo sounders, 2 x side-scan sonar, searchlight sonar[1]

HMAS Paluma (A 01) is the lead ship of the Paluma class survey motor launches in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

She is a twin-hulled hydrographic survey ship designed to operate in the shallow territorial waters of Northern Australia and the Great Barrier Reef.[1]

She was laid down by Eglo Engineering on 21 February 1988, launched on 6 February 1989 and commissioned into the RAN on 27 February 1989. The ship was named for Paluma, Queensland.

Survey equipment

Paluma employs Wide Area GPS Enhancement and Differential GPS to maintain precise positioning.[1] The two catamaran hulls are each equipped with both echo sounders and side-scan sonar to ensure accuracy when scanning the sea floor.[1] Both hulls also have heave compensators to provide corrected depth information.[1] Additionally the ship's Officer of the Watch has a Skipper searchlight sonar to provide early warning on shallows and unexpected dangers.[1]

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 "HMAS Paluma". Survey Vessels. Royal Australian Navy. http://www.navy.gov.au/w/index.php/HMAS_Paluma. Retrieved 2008-08-21.