The maiden Kiwi voyage of the Navy's new ship has been knocked back as coronavirus continues to conspire against HMNZS Aotearoa.
Meanwhile, some of its new crew have been siphoned off to help with Operation Protect, the Defence Force’s (NZDF) contribution to the national Covid-19 response, which includes providing security at managed isolation and quarantines facilities.
But a top Naval officer says the raging global pandemic has had a much greater impact on readying the ship for service than the military's Covid-19 duties in New Zealand.
That's because of the difficulty bringing over people from various overseas suppliers for training or to provide equipment, Royal New Zealand Navy maritime component commander Commodore Mat Williams told Stuff.
Aotearoa, to date the Navy's longest ever ship, made a triumphant arrival in Auckland on June 26 after a two-week voyage from the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyards in South Korea where it was purpose-built.
The ship was commissioned in an elaborate ceremony about a month later.
Since then, it has spent months sitting alongside its specially lengthened wharf at Devonport Naval Base, as the Defence Force’s focus turned increasingly towards the Covid-19 response.
The $500 million support vessel is designed to carry fuel, cargo, water and other supplies in support of operations, particularly humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.
Aotearoa was set to sail south for its inaugural visit to its official home port of New Plymouth towards the end of 2020, where it would uplift the ship's charter.
Willliams said that had been delayed and there was no set date for its first voyage to Taranaki, but the Navy wanted it to happen in the first half of 2020.
He said Operation Protect is the Defence Force's highest priority and the impact of that had been felt across the Navy.
However, the bigger impact was the global Covid-19 situation, affecting the ability of suppliers to visit New Zealand, he said.
“The impacts of Covid-19 more generally have had a far greater impact on the ship’s programme than Operation Protect due mainly to the challenges of various overseas based manufacturers providing personnel or equipment with the travel, border and freight challenges brought about by Covid-19.”
In the week starting November 16, the Aotearoa began undergoing a “Safety and Readiness Check” ahead of its first voyage since its commissioning five months ago.
The week after could see helicopters begin landing on its flight deck as aviation integration trials begin, Williams said.
Once the customisation and militarisation finish, the ship will begin “sea acceptance trials,” he said.
“Once these safety related aspects of the trials are completed, the ship will be able to respond to a range of operational taskings.”
At this stage there is no change to the planned first deployment of the Aoteroa to Antarctica, which remains scheduled for the summer ice season of 2021/22, he said.
