Welcome home HMNZS Canterbury

It gives me great pleasure to join you all here on board HMNZS Canterbury today.

Having followed her progress from conception in Wellington, to construction in the Netherlands and Melbourne, it is very satisfying to experience her first arrival into New Zealand.

I look forward to her contribution to New Zealand’s national and regional security as she is brought to full readiness over the coming months.

As the first of the Protector fleet to be commissioned into service, Canterbury is undoubtedly a symbol of the future – the future of the RNZN as a versatile navy with a broad range of capabilities, and the future of our approach to New Zealand’s security as a multi-agency process.

But before we look to Canterbury’s future, it would be remiss here in Lyttelton not to remember her connection with the past.

This MRV is of course the second RNZN ship to carry the name Canterbury and use its crest.

The first HMNZS Canterbury, a Leander class frigate, was commissioned into the RNZN on 22 October 1971.

With a design life of 20 years, the first Canterbury served New Zealand for 34 years. During that time more than 3500 men and women served on board. Decommissioned in 2005, she had an enviable service record.

Canterbury was one of the frigates we sent to Mururoa Atoll. Canterbury also stood by in Fijian waters for possible evacuation of New Zealanders after the first military coup there in 1987.

She relieved British ships on Indian Ocean patrols during the Falklands war, and undertook boardings in support of the UN’s economic sanctions against Saddam’s Iraq in 1996.

On this day 30 years ago the Canterbury represented New Zealand at the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Royal Fleet Review at Spithead, UK.

In performing these tasks and countless others, Canterbury travelled almost a million sea miles, spending 70,000 hours at sea.

For a start, I am pleased to note that the new Canterbury appears to be off to a more auspicious beginning than the old. The first Canterbury arrived into Lyttelton on 4 August 1973 to snow and Anti-Vietnam War protests!

But the new Canterbury is not intended as a replacement for her namesake.

Thirty-six years on from the original Canterbury’s introduction into service the world has changed. This ship has different challenges to face and different roles to perform.

Some of these will also continue to be addressed by other ships in the fleet. Others, however, were identified in the 2001 Maritime Forces Review, which also recognised that the existing Navy was not equipped as well as it should be to address them.

In 2004 the Government signed a contract for the purchase of seven new vessels – the Project Protector fleet, of which the MRV is the flagship -to meet New Zealand's new needs in the 21st century.

The fleet will represent the greatest increase in capabilities in the Royal New Zealand Navy's history.

Canterbury represents an impressive new capability for the Navy. When her 53 core crew are joined by 250 soldiers, 10 Air Force flight crew, light armoured vehicles, containers, up to four NH90s and a Seasprite helicopter, Canterbury will embody the NZDF’s joint approach to operations.

Canterbury’s principal role of tactical sealift is a new capability for the Navy. It will allow New Zealand a much greater degree of flexibility in responding to military deployments and to requests for civil and disaster relief in New Zealand and the wider region.

She will conduct military support operations, including humanitarian, peace and non-combatant evacuation operations. She will make important contributions to search and rescue operations, medical support, and maritime pollution control assistance. Canterbury’s ice-strengthened hull will also enable her to patrol the Southern Ocean.

Like other RNZN vessels Canterbury will also provide a platform for at sea training for the Navy, regional defence diplomacy visits and representational activities, and participation in the Military Assistance Programme to the Pacific Islands and South East Asia.

The contribution made by Canterbury to the RNZN will be further strengthened by the arrival of the rest of the Project Protector fleet, the Offshore and Inshore Patrol Vessels, over the next 12 months. Together, the Protector Fleet will conduct a broad range of patrol and response tasks, including surveillance and reconnaissance, and the interception, boarding or apprehension of suspect vessels.

Designed with a multi-agency role in mind, the Protector vessels will ensure a whole-of-government approach to New Zealand’s security, including not only our military security, but also the security of our borders, fisheries and biodiversity. The vessels will provide a broad range of agencies, including Police, Customs, Fisheries, Conservation and Foreign Affairs, with exciting and innovative options for pursuing their varying objectives.

I know that the inaugural crew of HMNZS Canterbury are proud of her potential and are keen to work up her full range of capabilities under the leadership of their Commanding Officer, Commander and Cantabrian, Tony Millar. I join the Canterbury region, and the New Zealand public, in wishing you all the best for this process and for the promising future ahead.