In a major embarrassment for the government, news footage showed the protester, one of a group, climbing from a small boat up the hull of the guided-missile frigate HMAS Sydney, using a rope to secure himself, and then hanging from the bow.

The incident occurred despite intensive security around the ship to try to prevent such incidents after two anti-war protesters painted "NO WAR" on the top of the Sydney Opera House on the day the war started last month.

Clinging to the bow of the ship, the protester unfurled a "no-war" banner as police craft buzzed the ship.

Another protester, apparently from Greenpeace, then climbed from a small runabout up the stern of the warship before he was tackled by police, who appeared to cut him free.

Earlier, police swooped on another anti-war protester as he tried a paddle a surfboard towards the warship.

The Sydney was pulling away from a naval base wharf when an inflatable craft with a "no-war" banner approached.

TV footage showed a protester leaping from the inflatable on to a surfboard but he was almost immediately stopped by two police divers who jumped into the water from another boat.

Police said they had arrested one protester who had been circling the Sydney on a surfboard.

The Sydney pulled to a halt as water police moved in to remove the protester hanging from the bow of the ship.

Howard, a staunch supporter of the US campaign to oust the Iraqi regime, earlier thanked the Sydney's 230-strong crew and said it was a proud moment for the Royal Australian Navy as the ship prepared to leave Sydney Harbor.

"It is my hope that during your time, in the not too distant future, the really hostile part of the war to disarm Iraq will have terminated," Howard told sailors and their families.

"But that does not mean there will not be very important work following the formal cessation of hostilities."

(China Daily April 8, 2003)