Let us take a closer look at the Royal New Zealand Navy's new tanker that is currently being fitted out in South Korea.

HMNZS Aotearoa, will be the biggest vessel ever operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy. At a length of 173 metres, a beam of 24.5 metres and a draught of 8.5 metres and a displacement of 26,000 tonnes. She is twice as big as her predecessor HMNZS Endeavour and can carry 3 times the cargo and fuel.

Concept art of HMNZS Aotearoa

Support Force: The $493 million New Ship Aotearoa is a new Polar-class support vessel being built by Hyundai Heavy Industries, as part of the Maritime Sustainment Capability (MSC) project.

AOTEAROA is a unique vessel built to replace the now decommissioned tanker HMNZS Endeavour to provide global sustainment to New Zealand and coalition maritime, land and air units. Sustainment is primarily provided through resupply of fuel and secondarily through resupply of dry goods, water, spare parts or ammunition.

AOTEAROA was launched on 24 April 2019, Ulsan, South Korea. She will be named in October 2019 and commissioned early 2020.

In early 2020, the Royal New Zealand Navy will take delivery of AOTEAROA -  a 26,000 tonne tanker and replenishment ship that will be largest the Navy has ever operated.

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She will carry 9,500 tonnes of fuel enough to ‘fill up’ a frigate like TE MANA or TE KAHA 13.87 times. And she’ll be able to carry and operate a RNZAF NH90 helicopter. Aotearoa will have a core crew of 64 plus 11 flight crew.

• Total liquid cargo capacity 9,500 tonnes
• Typical dry goods cargo capacity 12 x twenty foot equivalent units
• Core Crew 64
• Bunks 100

So other than being bigger than her predecessor HMNZS Endeavour what is special about HMNZS Aotearoa?

• Aotearoa will be the world’s first naval ship to adopt Rolls-Royce’s Environship concept design, which includes a new wave-piercing hull for reduced resistance and fuel consumption.
• The ship will also be ice-strengthened and winterised to facilitate operations in Antarctica’s extreme weather conditions as one of her roles is to supply McMurdo and Scott Base in Antarctica.  
• She will also be able to carry 12 containers of supplies and have the ability to produce 100 tonnes of freshwater each day which will make her invaluable when providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
• HMNZS Aotearoa will be able to hanger, accommodate and operate the NH-90 Helicopter. (HMNZS Endeavour could only operate the WASP 
• Aotearoa will be able to defend herself with 1 × Phalanx CIWS, x2 mini typhoon and most likely a couple of manual 50 cal. (HMNZS Endeavour did not have any weapons)
• She has 20-30 extra bunks for mission teams, scientists to Antarctica, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, as well as 

Construction of HMNZS Aotearoa South Korea.

She will be able to operate anywhere in the world, for both our navy and operate with our allies with fleet operations support to United Nations security operations, support to a coalition Naval Task Group. She can RAS (Replenishment At Sea) or refuel two vessels at once one to port and one to starboard and at the same time conduct helo operations with stores. She will be a great asset for humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

HMNZS Aotearoa being fitted out in South Korea. Due to be delivered to New Zealand mid-2020. Behind you can see a modern frigate, so you can see the size of her.