New Navy Ship Arrives In Auckland

New Zealand Defence Force
Te Ope Kaatua O Aotearoa
Media Release
Thursday, 10 June 2010

New Navy Ship Arrives In Auckland

The last of the Royal New Zealand Navy Project Protector Vessels, HMNZS WELLINGTON, is heading home to Devonport Naval Base in Auckland.

WELLINGTON will arrive in Auckland on11 June 2010 at 11.00am under the command of Lieutenant Commander Simon Griffiths of Dunedin. Onboard for the arrival will be The Honourable Heather Roy, The Associate Minister of Defence, and Commodore Ross Smith the Maritime Component Commander. Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae, the Chief of Defence Force and Commodore Bruce Pepperell, Deputy Chief of Navy will greet the ship as it berths.

WELLINGTON is the seventh and last ship in the Project Protector fleet, and with her delivery the Navy will be operating a fleet of 12 modern and highly capable ships.

“WELLINGTON and her sister ship OTAGO are large, modern patrol craft that deliver the Navy significant new capability to undertake Exclusive Economic Zone patrols, as well as surveillance and military operations around New Zealand, the southern ocean and the Pacific,” said the Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Tony Parr.

“WELLINGTON and OTAGO have the capability to operate further offshore than our existing patrol vessels, stay at sea longer, and conduct more challenging operations – using their helicopter capability, sea-boats and embarked forces.”
A homecoming ceremony is planned on the Naval Base for HMNZS WELLINGTON and the crew will be greeted by the Royal New Zealand Navy Band and friends and families of the crew. The Navy Kapa Haka group will perform the Navy’s own haka to welcome HMNZS WELLINGTON as she berths.

Specifications of the Offshore Patrol Vessels
Displacement 1900 tonnes
Length 85 metres
Beam 14 metres
Speed 22 knots
Range 6000 nautical miles
Propulsion 2x Mann Burmeister & Wain 12RK280 diesels producing 5400 kW
Core Complement 35
Flight personnel 10
Multi Agency Complement 4
Additional personnel 34
Total Complement 83
Boat Capacity 2 x 7.3 m Zodiac RHIB
Deployable by 2 x Powered Davits

ENDS