HMAS Jeparit HMAS " Jeparit " was an Australian National Lines ( ANL ) bulk carrier which was operated by the Royal Australian Navy ( RAN ) between 1969 and 1972 . She was launched in 1964 and transported supplies to Australian military forces in South Vietnam between 1966 and 1972 under both civil and military ownership . She returned to service with ANL in 1972 until 1979 when she was sold to a Greek shipping company and renamed " Pleias " . She continued in civilian service under several names before being broken up in 1993 . Construction . " Jeparit " was built for the Australian Government - owned shipping line Australian National Lines . She was laid down at Evans Deakin & Co in Brisbane , Queensland in 1962 and launched in 1964 . Operational history . Vietnam War . In June 1966 , she was chartered by the Department of Shipping and Transport to transport equipment and supplies from Australia to South Vietnam for the 1st Australian Task Force . This became an open - ended charter in August as the ship was needed to meet the supply needs of the Australian forces in South Vietnam , which were greater than had been anticipated by Army planners . The ship ' s cargo usually consisted of vehicles ( including Centurion tank s ) , ammunition , civil aid program stores , and supplies for the Australian Services Canteen Organisation . The ANL coastal cargo ship " Boonaroo " was also chartered to carry similar cargoes to South Vietnam , but was unable to embark tanks . In February 1967 , the Seamen ' s Union of Australia decided that it would not provide crews to " Jeparit " or " Boonaroo " for further voyages to South Vietnam ; its members left both ships and were subsequently sacked by ANL . This move was not supported by most of the union movement , and members of other maritime unions remained on board . While " Boonaroo " was commissioned into the RAN for a single voyage in March 1967 , " Jeparit " remained under ANL control but was given a mixed crew of 20 merchant seamen and a RAN detachment of an officer and 17 sailors . The RAN detachment worked under the ship ' s civilian master , but was additionally under naval discipline . The ship made 25 return trips to South Vietnam with a mixed crew between 1967 and December 1969 . The naval and civilian sailors worked well together , though there was disquiet when it was discovered that the civilians ' pay was doubled during time spent in the war zone while the RAN personnel received only the usual allowances . This was resolved by paying the difference into the RAN Relief Trust Fund . Most voyages were between Sydney and Vung Tau , though the ship had to unload Centurion tanks at Cam Ranh Bay as there was no heavy lifting equipment at Vung Tau . Unloading and backloading times reduced over time as procedures improved and the crew gained experience , and by late 1967 , the ship was operating on a three - day turnaround at Vung Tau . " Jeparit " remained the occasional focus of anti - war attention between 1967 and 1969 . The ship was targeted by a small protest in December 1967 and reloading in Sydney was occasionally disrupted by union activity . These protests came to a head in November 1969 , when the Waterside Workers Federation refused to load or unload " Jeparit " . After a period of negotiation , the ship was commissioned into the RAN as HMAS " Jeparit " on 11 December . The ship ' s master was appointed " Jeparit " s commanding officer the next day and received a commission in the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve , but the ship continued to operate with a mixed civilian - naval crew . This did not end the ship ' s problems , however , as RAN personnel assigned to load the ship were initially slow and a building contractor had to be engaged to load tanks onto " Jeparit " after civilian crane operators refused their services . HMAS " Jeparit " continued to travel between Australia and Vietnam as a ship of the Royal Australian Navy . These voyages were generally uneventful , and the mixed crew continued to work together well and there were few further labour relations problems at Australian ports . Australian forces were withdrawn from South Vietnam in 1971 and 1972 , and " Jeparit " completed her 43rd and final trip on 11 March 1972 , when she returned to Sydney with the last Australian troops and equipment from Vietnam . The ship had conducted five voyages with a civilian crew , 21 as an ANL ship with a mixed crew and 17 in RAN service . " Jeparit " was decommissioned on 15 March and returned to ANL . She received the battle honour " Vietnam 1969 - 72 " in recognition of her service while a commissioned vessel . Post - war career . She continued in ANL service until September 1979 when she was sold the Greek company Massis Charity Shipping and renamed " Pleias " . She was later renamed " Celestial I " in 1984 , " Maria M . " in 1987 and " Sea Coral " in 1988 and was broken up in early 1993 .