The City of Greater Geraldton has been confirmed as the ceremonial homeport of a supply ship set to be commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy Fleet next month. Minister for Defence Industry and Member for Durack Melissa Price said NUSHIP Stalwart’s formalised partnership with the City of Greater Geraldton and the local Yamatji People would strengthen Geraldton’s enduring connection with the Navy.
“Navy and Geraldton have a long, shared history,” Minister Price said. “Geraldton is home to a memorial acknowledging that HMAS Sydney II was sunk off the coast in 1941, and two ships have previously been named after the City. Today’s announcement strengthens ties between the Royal Australian Navy and Geraldton, and will foster meaningful engagement opportunities.”
The Commanding Officer of NUSHIP Stalwart, Commander Steve McCracken, said the crew was looking forward to visiting Geraldton and interacting with the community. “The crew is proud to be associated with the City of Geraldton and we look forward to building local connections and sharing our ship with the community,” McCracken said. “We hope to bring Stalwart to Geraldton in the near future and will look for an opportunity to host an open day and support local events.”
Stalwart is the second of two Supply-class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment ships purchased for the Royal Australian Navy. The ships will deliver a significantly enhanced capability to the region, providing logistics support to naval combat units at sea. They will extend the time a Task Group can spend at sea, allowing them to travel further, for longer. NUSHIP Stalwart will operate out of Fleet Base West in Western Australia, while her sister ship, HMAS Supply, is based at Fleet Base East, New South Wales.
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