Aotearoa heads to sea for the first time during her Builders Sea Trials in Korea.
HMNZS Aotearoa was built by HHI at the Ulsan shipyard. She was launched in April this year and christened in October.
These trials test her seaworthiness alongside her integrated propulsion and platform management systems. After three years of design and build effort, further trials will provide valuable insights into Aotearoa ahead of her upcoming journey home to New Zealand shores and into our Naval fleet.
- From concept to launching - HMNZS Aotearoa
- New Zealand’s largest Navy ship christened in South Korea
- RNZN Tanker Aotearoa Hits the Water
- What is HMNZS AOTEAROA capable of?
Following sea trials, Aotearoa will sail to New Zealand in the second quarter of next year and will be formally commissioned at the Devonport Naval Base.
About HMNZS Aotearoa
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.
