New Zealand Defence Force
Te Ope Kaatua O Aotearoa
Media Release
Monday 12 October, 2009

Final Harbour Entry For Navy Ship

Click for big version

HMNZS KAHAU's entrance to Auckland harbour tomorrow morning will be tinged with sadness as it will be her last operational visit to the city as she is about to be decommissioned. The former In Shore Patrol Craft under the Command of Mau-rice "Muzz" Kennett and his crew of 18 will enter the harbour10 am on Tuesday 13 October. On this occasion of farewell, and to acknowledge her final time at sea, she will be flying a 12 metre ‘paying off pennant'.

On arrival back to the Devonport Naval Base HMNZS KAHU will begin prepara-tions for her formal decommissioning from operational service on Thursday 29 October.

Background

HMNZS KAHU was built by Whangarei Engineering & Construction Ltd (WECO). Her keel was laid 8 Dec 1978 and the build completed May 1979. She began service as the HMNZS MANAWANUI (Pennant # A09) 28 May 1979 and oper-ated as a support vessel for the RNZN’s diving teams in a variety of under water tasks. Most took place in the Hauraki Gulf to Bay of Plenty region and had a clear naval aspect, but some civilian in nature, such as the exploration and sal-vage work on the sunken Soviet passenger liner Mikhail Lermontov in Port Gore, Marlborough Sounds, in March 1986.

In March 1988 the RNZN bought a larger ship to provide facilities for deeper div-ing and an increased range of dive activities which was commissioned as HMNZ Dive Tender MANAWANUI and the original MANAWANUI commissioned as HMNZS KAHU (pennant # A04) on 17 May 1988. From 1988 KAHU has oper-ated as the navigation and seamanship training vessel, provided support the RNZN Dive School, and conducting operations with other Government Agencies such as Fisheries, Customs, Police and DOC.

Interesting Fact

By decommissioning date (Thursday 29 October) HMNZS KAHU will have steamed 191,332 Nautical Miles (around the world approx 71/2 times) and been underway for 22,411 hrs. The underway hours do not reflect the many additional hours KAHU has spent at anchor supporting dive training and multi-agency op-erations.

Particulars - HMNZS KAHU A04

Standard Displacement: - 91 tonnes
Length Overall: - 27 metres
Beam: - 6.1 metres
Draught: - 2.4 metres
Speed: - 12 knots
Range: - 1,000 nautical miles
Complement: - 18 (composition changes with training requirements)
Propulsion: - Two Cummins diesels (710 hp)
Twin shafts

Interesting Comparison between the old and the new

In Shore Patrol Craft (HMNZS KAHU and the former HINAU, MOA, WAKAKURA and HINAU) are 27 m in length and 91 tonnes.

In Shore Patrol Vessels (HMNZ Ships ROTOITI, PUKAKI, TAUPO and HAWEA) are 55m in length and 340 tonnes.

The Navy works with communities and other government agencies to protect our borders and fisheries by undertaking border patrols and surveillance of the EEZ.

ENDS

© Scoop Media