Lieutenant Hannah Van der Horst is home for Christmas after a lengthy deployment on HMNZS Aotearoa. Photo / NZDF
Lieutenant Hannah Van der Horst is home for Christmas after a lengthy deployment on HMNZS Aotearoa. Photo / NZDF
A Whakatāne sailor is returning home in time for Christmas, after eight months at sea on Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Aotearoa.
Officer of the Watch Lieutenant Hannah Van der Horst, 26, arrived back at Auckland’s Devonport Naval Base on board the maritime replenishment vessel on Friday.
It markedthe conclusion of a demanding operational year for the Navy’s maritime replenishment vessel and its 80-strong ship’s company, who have been deployed since late March.
The ship spent 307 days away from home and sailed more than 31,000 nautical miles as it conducted exercises and operations.
Van der Horst, who posted to HMNZS Aotearoa in June 2024, said it’s been an amazing year aboard the fifth ship she has served on since joining the Navy in 2020.
“Going down to Antarctica at the beginning of 2025 was really cool, getting up close and personal with some icebergs and seeing penguins and seals,” she said.
“I got to visit McMurdo Station and Scott Base. The 24-hour daylight took a bit of getting used to as a watchkeeper.”
HMNZS Aotearoa being welcomed home after an eight-month deployment. Photo / NZDF
This year, HMNZS Aotearoa completed a three-month Indo-Pacific deployment that included defence engagements and exercises with key countries and partners, including port visits to Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The vessel also carried out enforcement of United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea, undertaking surveillance and deterrence activities in the international waters of the Yellow and East China Seas during November.
The ship was shadowed at different points in time by seven different People’s Liberation Army (Navy) warships from a distance.
A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft overflies HMNZS Aotearoa during surveillance and deterrence activities. Photo / NZDF
Lieutenant Van der Horst joined the Navy because she “caught the travel bug”.
“Before joining I went on exchange and lived in France for a year, travelling all over.
“I wanted something a bit different than being behind a desk all day. I didn’t know exactly what trade I wanted in the Navy but there being such a variety of options was part of the appeal.”
Her latest deployment had plenty of variety but also some challenges, particularly when operating with foreign ships with crew’s whose first language isn’t English.
“Being away from home for such a long time on deployment can be a bit difficult sometimes, but international travel and coming alongside new and exciting ports more than make up for it.”
