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New Zealand to commission new navy tanker from S.Korea

Xinhua, July 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

The New Zealand government said on Monday it had approved the purchase of a new navy tanker from South Korea.

The tanker, costing 493 million NZ dollars (349.63 million U.S. dollars), would support a full range of New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) deployments, including maritime sustainment and humanitarian and disaster relief operations, said Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee.

The vessel would be built by Hyundai Heavy Industries and was expected to be delivered in 2020.

It would replace the 30-year-old HMNZS Endeavour, the NZDF's only tanker which provides fuel to New Zealand navy and partner nations' ships and helicopters, and supplies fuel and fresh water to support land operations overseas.

"This vessel will be significantly larger, will be able to refuel two ships at a time while underway, carry and refuel defense force helicopters, produce and store water, and store and transport bulk goods," Brownlee said in a statement.

Ice-strengthening and "winterization" features would allow it to deliver fuel and other goods to support Scott Base and McMurdo Station, in Antarctica, during summer months once an icebreaker had cleared a path.

"It is important that New Zealand has a significant asset capable of supporting our presence in Antarctica and our interests in the Southern Ocean more generally," said Brownlee.

"It will increase New Zealand's contribution and help further demonstrate our long-term commitment to the Antarctic Joint Logistics Pool with the United States."

The government's Defence White Paper released last month had placed greater emphasis than previous white papers on protection of Southern Ocean resources and supporting New Zealand's civilian presence in Antarctica, he said.

The white paper outlined an overhaul for the military valued at 20 billion NZ dollars (14.17 billion U.S. dollars) over the next 15 years, including plans to replace or enhance existing major capabilities such as the navy's two ANZAC frigates and strategic and tactical airlift capability. Endit