New replenishment tanker for New Zealand on the way home for delivery

The replenishment ship Aotearoa (A 11). Photo c/o HHI.

The new replenishment tanker ordered by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) has left South Korea and is on the way home for delivery.

The ship, which will be commissioned with the RNZN as the HMNZS Aotearoa (A 11), left Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea on 10 June 2020, with the departure ceremony attended by the New Zealand’s Ambassador to South Korea Am. Philippe Turner, as well as officials from the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN). 

The 26,000-ton ship was escorted out of South Korean waters by the ROKN Cheongji-class logistics support ship ROKS Daecheong (AOE-58).

The new ship, which also featured an ice-strengthened hull for operations in Antarctic waters, will replace the fleet oiler HMNZS Endeavour (A11), which was retired from RNZN service in December 2017.

The Aoetearoa (A 11) is 173.2 meters long, has a beam of 24.5 meters, and is equipped with a flight deck and hangar for medium helicopters. 

It is capable of carrying 8,000 tons of diesel fuel, 1,550 tons of aviation-grade fuel, and 250 tons of fresh water, and is equipped with two replenishment-at-sea (RAS) masts.


[1] Jane’s
[2] Hyundai Heavy Industries