Whanganui boat-builder Q-West was the venue for a coin ceremony for the NZ Customs Service new boat the Hawk V. Video Bevan Conley.
New Zealand Customs' new Whanganui-built patrol vessel has hit the water for trials.
Customs deputy operations controller Bill Perry said the catamaran, named Hawk V, will be based in Auckland but will be used to help secure what is one of the world's longest sea borders.
"It'll be used totarget specific threats or intelligence that we receive. We work collaboratively with a number of agencies like defence and police," he said.
"The big thing obviously is drugs. Unfortunately New Zealand is a country now that is under some pressure in regards to drugs being attempted to be brought in."The boat was built at Q-West in Whanganui and put into the water yesterday morning after a blessing.
The boat is the latest in a lineage of Hawks dating back to the agency's first boat in 1881.
It was purpose-built to help Customs to identify risk, detect non-compliance, and carry out enforcement activities.
Q-West has just completed a new boat for New Zealand Customs.
Unlike Hawk IV which was fibreglass, Hawk V is aluminium.
"It's a lot bigger and a lot quicker and can get us to places in a lot safer way. It's got a suite of electronics on it as well where we can search large area," said Mr Perry.
