The Offshore Patrol Vessels OTAGO and WELLINGTON are currently en route to the isolated sub Antarctic Campbell and Auckland Islands as part of a Royal Society and Department of Conservation task utilising the Navy’s two newest vessels.

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Onboard the ships for the 700 kilometre week-long operation are The Governor General, His Excellency the Right Honourable Sir Anand Satyanand GNZN QSO, the Minister of Conservation the Hon Kate Wilkinson and a team of scientists who will be undertaking a three month expedition to study the ecology, archaeology and human impact on the Campbell Islands.

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This operation is one of many activities in which the Navy provides support to the work of other government agencies. In addition, the Navy will use this period to test the capabilities of the ships in the challenging conditions of the Southern Ocean.

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The ships spent Monday in Bluff harbour loading more than 250 crates of stores and scientific equipment for the expedition. The ships will first visit the Campbell Islands where the scientific team will disembark, and will then proceed to the Auckland Islands.

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ENDS

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