MV Merkur was a 5,952 tons passenger cargo vessel that was requitioned into the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during the Second World War as a victualling stores and supply vessel. Built by Frederick Krupp AG, Kiel in 1924 for Flensburg Steamship Company as Rio Bravo. She served the South American passneger/cargo service until the Flensburg Steamship Company went into bankruptcy. She was acquired by North-German Lloyd in 1933 and renamed Merkur, and was bought by Burns Philp & Company in 1935.