Aotearoa is a new Polar-class support vessel built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd, as part of the Maritime Sustainment Capability (MSC) project.
The HMNZS Aotearoa auxiliary ship was constructed at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard under a USD327 million contract. In 2020, it will replace the Royal New Zealand Navy’s latest replenishment oiler, HMNZS Endeavour, which was decommissioned in 2017.
At 173m long, the HMNZS Aotearoa is the largest ship the RNZN have ever had in the fleet. The vessel will carry 9,500 tonnes of fuel enough to ‘fill up’ a frigate like the HMNZS TE MANA or TE KAHA 13.87 times. And she’ll be able to carry and operate a RNZAF NH90 helicopter.
She is the first ship to use the Rolls Royce’s Environship design, which includes a new wave-piercing hull for reduced resistance and fuel consumption. Capability features ice-strengthening and ‘winterisation’ for operations in Antarctica. The HMNZS Aotearoa sensors package includes a Farsounder-1000 sonar and SharpEye S and X-Band navigation radars. The two Bergen Main Engines will allow a maximum speed of 16 knots and a range of about 6,400 nm.
