Australia's fire-damaged Antarctic resupply ship is expected to rendezvous with a support vessel at sea on Tuesday.
The MPV Everest is heading to Fremantle on axillary power after fire tore through its port side engine room last Monday, destroying two inflatable boats on deck.
Offshore tugboat GO Spica left Fremantle on Sunday night and is set to shadow the Everest, which got into trouble in the Southern Ocean on its way back to Hobart.
None of the 109 people aboard, including some 70 expeditioners, were hurt in the fire which is being investigated by the boat's owner and authorities.
"MPV Everest is not in distress and continues to travel northwards under its own power," Australian Antarctic Division operations and safety manager, Charlton Clark, said.
"While MPV Everest doesn't need a tug and this is not a rescue mission, GO Spica has sufficient power to assist if required."
As of Sunday night, there were 400 nautical miles separating the support ship and the Everest with the two expected to meet on Tuesday.
The Dutch-owned Everest, which had to dodge wild weather in recent days, had finished resupplying Davis and Mawson stations in Antarctica.
It was charted for this summer's resupply trips after the delivery of Australia's new $529 million icebreaker RSV Nuyina was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
