Lighthouses of Australia

When the keel of the Cape Grafton was laid in 1989 at the Factorias Vulcanos shipyard in Vigo Spain it was going to be a Russian fishing trawler although its real purpose was going to be electronic surveillance with the ship likely to have more aerials than fishing lines. The basic hull was completed but with the cold war coming to an end, electronic surveillance was no longer necessary and work on the ship came to a standstill. In May 1993 AMSA purchased the ship as a replacement for the Cape Morton, the last of the second set of Cape ships, which was about to be retired after nearly 30 years of service. Major modifications were made to the ship so that it could be used, not only as a tender but also as a diving or construction platform or as a scientific research vessel. Additional facilities incorporated into the design included a 12.5 tonne crane, an 'A' frame for launching and retrieving a LARC (Lighter Amphibious Resupply Cargo) vehicle, a large helideck and space for two workboats that were to be transferred from the Cape Moreton.