ADV

Reliant

The Royal Australian Navy's Pacific Support Vessel (PSV), ADV Reliant is a Norwegian-built Offshore Support Vessel (OSV) launched in Norway in 2017.

After acquisition of the ship in February 2022; she arrived in Sydney on 04 July 2022 and underwent numerous trials and preparations. On 30 August 2022, Navy accepted ADV Reliant into service, as a Naval Auxiliary Vessel; in her home port of Brisbane.

The ship is crewed through a combination of a Naval Liaison Officer (NLO) and Contracted Vessel Operators (CVO). The current CVO is Teekay Shipping (Australia), engaged to crew, operate and maintain the vessel. Operational medical support is provided to a Role 1 capability, under contract by OPSTAR.

ADV Reliant provides a unique capability as a Whole-of-Government vessel, primarily operating in Australia’s near region. With the diverse capability sets already built into the vessel, the opportunities for Government Agencies and the ADF to leverage the ship for specific tasks are rarely limited. The vessel provides berthing for a total of 60 personnel, features 1058 sqm of cargo space on her aft deck, a 150-tonne main crane and a moon pool. The ship has a helipad fitted forward of the bridge, capable of supporting up to 12-tonnes and intended to be first utilised to operate unmanned aerial systems in support of missions. The ship has been purposely acquired due to its ability to remain flexible in responding to Pacific Nation’s needs and priorities, remaining equipped and prepared for humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR) missions.

The vessel is operationally available for up to 300 days a year, semi-permanently tasked within the South-West Pacific. This allows the vessel to support a range of nation and resilience building tasks, while being within a close proximity to provide a first-response capability post disasters.

ADV Reliant supplements Australia’s larger amphibious ships, with a first response and critical assessment capability. This allows for Pacific Nations to leverage the ships capabilities, to better understand the extent of damage; in order for requests and responses to additional support to be measured.

ADV Reliant has the range, endurance and equipment to undertake a diverse range of activities. Able to support specialist multi-agency teams across numerous roles, to contribute to a collective safe, secure and resilient region; enabling Australia to be a more responsive and effective partner.

While the ship is managed through Navy, it remains a Whole-of-Government asset contributing to regional support and assistance, search and rescue, maritime surveillance, training, mentoring and capacity building. With its pre-existing capabilities from build, to the additional landing craft and jet-boats installed upon acceptance, and the numerous other capabilities and systems being considered for the future; ADV Reliant will continue to remain agile and responsive to the Government of Australia, ADF and Pacific Nations.