The USS "Oklahoma City", Flagship of the Seventh Fleet, became the first foreign ship to berth at the new naval facilities at Garden Island and then proceeded to the Inner Harbour as part of a seven day goodwill visit.

Feb 1976

Fremantle Port Authority installed its first computer - a century series 8200 computer, enabling it to process "in-house", the accounting and statistical data which it had been processing at a private bureau for the previous eight years.

April 1976

The Port Authority's 35m inspection launch T.S.M.V "Challenger" was sold by tender in April 1976, to a Queensland businessman. The "Challenger" was built by Lars Halvorsen of Sydney in 1945 and was converted for port inspections between 1962 and 1966.

5 May 1976

On the 5th May 1976 the "Malaysia" departed from the Port of Fremantle for the last time as a passenger ship. She was converted in Singapore to a sheep carrier with a capacity of 30,000, to serve the WA to Persian Gulf trade.

1 June 1976

Fremantle Ports' new 12m fibreglass pilot tender "Sir Frederick Samson" was launched in a small traditional ceremony at Fremantle on the 1st June 1976. The tender replaced the "Lady Gairdner" which had been in service for 17 years.

14 August 1976

The "USS Snook" which berthed at the West Australian Naval Support Facility, HMAS Stirling, on 14 August 1976 for a five-day rest and relaxation visit, was the first nuclear powered vessel in the Port of Fremantle.