HMAS Benalla
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| Commanding Officer | Commanding Officer HMAS Benalla |
|---|---|
| Pennant | A 04 |
| Class | Survey Motor Launch |
| Based | Cairns |
| Launched | 31 January 1990 |
| Commissioned | 20 March 1990 |
| Displacement | 310 tonnes310,000 kg 310,000,000 g 683,432.82 lb 10,934,928.22 oz |
| Length | 36.6 metres3,660 cm 0.0366 km 0.0227 mi 120.079 ft 1,440.945 in |
| Beam | 13.7 metres1,370 cm 0.0137 km 0.00851 mi 44.948 ft 539.37 in |
| Main Machinery |
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| Speed | 11 knots5.659 m/s 20.372 km/h 0.00566 km/s 1,113.955 ft/min 18.566 ft/s |
| Company | 15 |
| Range | 3500 nautical miles |
The SMLs HMA Ships HMAS Paluma, HMAS Mermaid, HMAS Shepparton and HMAS Benalla, generally operate in pairs, and are designed for hydrographic survey operations in the shallow waters of northern Australia. Their twin hulls provide good stability in heavy conditions, and good living room and space below the main deck. In addition, the catamaran hull sits well out of the water, the ship drawing only 2.2 metres - a favourable characteristic in shoaling and reef waters where the ships are required to operate.
Each SML carries the latest in navigation aids, and survey and computerised hydrographic data processing equipment. All data collected by the ship is stored on CD-ROM and forwarded to the Australian Hydrographic Office for subsequent publication in navigational products ranging from paper to electronic charts.
