The Government is to buy a $493 million naval tanker.
The ship will be custom-made for use in the Antarctic and will replace the 30-year-old HMNZS Endeavour.
The new ship will be used to refuel naval vessels and helicopters at sea and to supply fuel and fresh water.
The new vessel will be built by South Korean company Hyundai Heavy Industries and was expected for delivery in 2020.
It will be ice-strengthened and adapted to cope with extreme winter conditions so it could deliver fuel and supplies to Scott Base and McMurdo Station during the summer months – something HMNZS Endeavour could not do.
The replacement tanker will be much larger than HMNZS Endeavour, which is due to retire in 2018. It will be able to refuel two ships at once, carry and refuel helicopters, produce and store fresh water and transport bulk goods.
9 Responses
Nice work
Nice
That is interesting. But if the HMNZS Endeavor stops in 2018, and the new ship isn’t due till 2020, what about the 2-year gap? What will happen if no ships are delivering supplies to Antarctica?
My dad is in the Navy and he said I can go look at it next time I go with him to Devonport!
WOW! That’s alot of money for just a ship! But I can see that it’s big.
Hmmm… I wonder what that tanker is for?
Cool, I want to be on a helicopter that lands on that ship when I am older
I like it and it will help them alot
Cool