MS Empress of Australia
Ordered in 1962 by the Australian National Line and launched by Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company on 18 January 1964, Empress of Australia was the largest passenger ferry built in the world.[3][4] She was modified at the State Dockyard: the installation of 190 reclining seats in the original lounge increased her passenger capacity to 440, and a deck was added at the aft end.[3] Empress of Australia began sailing between Melbourne and Devonport on 28 June 1972, and continued making Bass Strait crossings until 1986.In the evening of August 23, 1992, she was rammed by the Taiwanese fishing vessel Terfu 51 in the Straits of Malacca after the Tefru misjudged the distance needed to cross the path of the Pacific.[6] A majority of passengers were from Singapore, with smaller numbers from Britain, Australia, India, United States, Indonesia, Germany, Taiwan, and Canada.