The Royal NZ Navy has finally received its latest vessel - HMNZS Rotoiti - after the ship was left idle in Port Whangarei for two years because it failed its safety certification.
The Rotoiti was one of four navy inshore patrol vessels (IPVs) built at the former Tenix Shipyard in Whangarei
that have been tied up at Port Whangarei after they failed their Lloyds certification - required before ships can put to sea - on seven, mostly minor, safety faults.
The faults were not related to the workmanship on the ships but rather their design. With the matter now sorted, the Rotoiti was handed over to the navy in a formal ceremony in Whangarei on Friday morning. The three other IPVs - Taupo, Hawera and Pukaki - are expected to be delivered by the end of May.
The home port for Rotoiti is Napier and Chief of Navy Rear Admiral David Ledson said the upcoming delivery of all four IPVs was a significant step for the navy and the New Zealand Defence Force, as well as for the country.
The Rotoiti will be sailing to Devonport Naval Base on Friday to mark its affiliation to the port of Napier and the Hawke's Bay region, reflecting a special relationship with the navy that stretches back to the 1931 earthquake.
The Taupo is affiliated to Port Whangarei.
"The delivery of these ships reflects a lot of hard work by the New Zealand Defence Force, in particular the navy and the Ministry of Defence," Rear Admiral Ledson said at the acceptance ceremony.
"The IPVs will ... enable the navy to make a wider contribution both to New Zealand in our Exclusive Economic Zone and further afield, particularly in the South Pacific."
He said along with the new Offshore Patrol Vessels and the air force's P3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft, the IPVs would provide a "step up" in the Defence Force's ability to work in close partnership with government agencies such as the Department of Conservation, Ministry of Fisheries, police, Customs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to address New Zealand's security challenges.
