ADV Ocean Shield

Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Ocean Shield is a ship of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Ordered by DOF Subsea as the Offshore Support Vessel MSV Skandi Bergen, the ship was laid down by STX OSV. During construction, the vessel was sold to the RAN in March 2012. Renamed Ocean Shield, the ship entered service in June 2012 as a civilian-crewed humanitarian and disaster relief vessel, operating in support of the RAN's amphibious warfare vessels. In 2016, after the Canberra class landing helicopter dock ships enter service, Ocean Shield will be transferred to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service to replace sister ship Ocean Protector.

Construction and acquisition
The vessel was ordered by DOF Subsea and laid down by STX OSV as the Offshore Support Vessel MSV Skandi Bergen. She was laid down with the yard number 771.

The ship is a sister ship to the Australian Customs Vessel Ocean Protector. She has a displacement of 6,500 tonnes, is 105.9 m in length, has a beam of 21 m, and a draught of 6.6 m. The propulsion system consists of two Rolls-Royce 3,000 kW azimuth thrusters at the stern, two 1,800 kW tunnel thrusters at the bow, plus a 1,500 kW, retractable azimuth thruster, also near the bow. Maximum speed is 16 kn. Power is generated by four Wärtsilä 2,880 kW medium speed diesel generators. The vessel is equipped and rated as a Dynamic Positioning Class 2 vessel and has an ice class of 1B.

On 19 March 2012, the Australian government announced the purchase of Skandi Bergen in a group of Defence acquisitions. The ship cost A$130 million: the price did not include the vessel's subsea equipment, which included ROV-operating equipment and an offshore crane with a 250-tonne safe working load (SWL). This equipment was retained by the shipyard for installation in a replacement vessel ordered by DOF Subsea, with a 60-tonne SWL crane fitted instead. On 3 June 2012, the ship's new name, Ocean Shield, was announced. Although tasked by the RAN, Ocean Shield is operated by a civilian crew, and will bear the prefix "Australian Defence Vessel" (ADV), instead of being commissioned and receiving the HMAS prefix.

The ship will be used to transport equipment and personnel as part of humanitarian and disaster relief operations. Ocean Shield will supplement the capability of the amphibious warfare ships HMAS Tobruk (L 50) and HMAS Choules (L100) until the Canberra class ships enter service. The ship has accommodation for around 100 people, and is equipped with a helipad. She also has 1000 sqm of deck area for cargo and equipment.

Operational history
Sea trials were overseen by Teekay Shipping, as was the delivery voyage from Norway to Australia, via South Africa. Ocean Shield arrived in Fremantle, Australia on 28 June 2012, and was accepted into naval service on 30 June.

Around 2016, once the Canberras are fully operational, Ocean Shield will be transferred to the Customs Marine Unit of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service. She will replace sister ship Ocean Protector, whose charter is due to expire that year.

In October 2013 participated in the International Fleet Review 2013 in Sydney, Australia.