HMAS Kanimbla

HMAS Kanimbla (L-51) was originally built as the Newport class tank landing ship USS Saginaw (LST-1188) for the U.S. Navy by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company at San Diego. She was laid down 24 May 1969 and launched 7 February 1970. The ship was acquired by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and commissioned as Kanimbla on 29 August 1994, for use as an amphibious transport ship (LPA). This required the ship to be extensively reconstructed, essentially making it a new vessel, the lead ship of the Kanimbla class. Official Royal Australian Navy page for the ship with picture galleries here.