Name Barao de Teffé Fate Scrapped, October 2007 | Acquired 1982 Length 81 m | |
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Operator J. Lauritzen A/S Lines
Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions Fate Sold to Brazilian Navy, 1982 Type Icebreaking cargo-passenger ship | ||
MV Thala Dan was one of a fleet of icebreaking cargo-passenger ships operated by the Danish J. Lauritzen A/S Lines, and chartered to, inter alia, ANARE (Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions). Others in the fleet included Kista Dan and Nella Dan.
Overview
Operating out of Melbourne and later Hobart, Tasmania in the southern summer of each year from the 1957 to 1982, this ship was used to re-supply the Australian bases at Macquarie Island, Mawson Station, Davis Station, Wilkes Station and Casey Station, for occasional visits to Heard Island, the Russian Mirny Station, the French Dumont d'Urville Station and other exploration.
In 1982, Thala Dan was sold to the Brazilian Navy, which renamed her to Barao de Teffé and used her for Antarctic expeditions until 2002. Along with two other Lauritzen ships (Kista Dan and Nella Dan), she was featured on an Australian Antarctic Territory postage stamp in 2003.
Thala Dan was apparently also used for sailings to Quebec in the first three months of the year in the 1960s. In 2007, Barao de Teffé was reported awaiting wrecking in Rio de Janeiro. After failed Australian attempts to purchase and turn Thala Dan into a museum ship, she was scrapped in Rio de Janeiro in October 2007.