HMNZS Canterbury (L421)

For the other ship of this name, see HMNZS Canterbury (F421).

300px HMNZS Canterbury at Lyttelton.
Career (New Zealand)	60px
Namesake:	HMNZS Canterbury (F-421)
Owner:	Ministry of Defence
Builder:	Merwede Shipyards, Netherlands; fitted out by Tenix Pty Ltd
Cost:	NZ$130 million
Laid down:	6 September 2005
Launched:	11 February 2006
Completed:	31 May 2007
Commissioned:	12 June 2007
In service:	Yes
Homeport:	Ceremonially: Lyttelton Operationally: Devonport
Fate:	Active
General characteristics
Class and type:	Multirole Vessel
Displacement:	9000 tonnes (full load)
Length:	131 metres
Beam:	23.4 metres
Draft:	5.4 metres
Propulsion:	CODADE (Combined Diesel and Diesel Electric) consisting of 2 Wartsila Engines @ 4.5MW, 3 x Auxiliary diesels, 2 x Bow Thrusters
Speed:	Baseline speed 19.60 knots Economical speed 16 knots
Range:	8000Nm at 16 knots
Boats and landing craft carried:	2 x medium landing Craft (23 m) Displacement: 55 tonnes (empty) 100 tonnes (full load), Crew: 3 2 x RHIB (7.4 m), 300 HP, Range: 130 NM Speed: 35 knots or 2x special forces RHIB (11 m) as optional cargo
Complement:	360 Core crew: 53 Naval, 10 Air Force, 7 Army Other: 35 trainees, 4 government agency Troop lift: 250 troops
Sensors and processing systems:	Fire Control: Vistar Electro-Optical ESM: CEA Warrlock HFDF Radar: S & X Band
Armament:	1 x Remote Controlled MSI DS25 Stabilized Naval Gun with 25mm M242 Bushmaster cannon 2 x .50 calibre machine guns Small arms
Aircraft carried:	1 x SH-2G Seasprite helicopter. Can be armed with a combination of homing torpedoes, depth charges, Maverick Air to Surface missiles, M60 Machine Gun. 4 x NH90 helicopters can also be operated.
Aviation facilities:	Helicopter deck (stern)

File:HMNZS Canterbury 20070701 LC.jpg

Close up of a landing craft on HMNZS Canterbury.

HMNZS Canterbury is a multi-role vessel (MRV) of the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was commissioned in June 2007, and is the second ship of the Royal New Zealand Navy to carry the name, the first ship having been a Leander class frigate. She is also New Zealand's first ever strategic sealift ship.

However, the vessel has been plagued by problems since delivery, having been involved in a number of incidents and being considered less seaworthy than specified for. It is estimated as of 2008 that at least another NZ$20 million will have to be spent to achieve the sought-for operational abilities.

History

Background

As early as 1988 the Royal New Zealand Navy had identified the need for some form of sealift in the South Pacific. In 1995 this led to the commissioning of HMNZS Charles Upham. The subsequent failure of successive governments to fund the required refits resulted in Charles Upham being sold in 2001.

At the same time the newly elected Labour Government directed the navy to exclude the option of a 3rd frigate from the Maritime Forces Review, while the sea lift requirement was also part of a wider capability mix desired.

Construction

The construction of the MRV was sub contracted-out to Merwede Shipyards in the Netherlands by Tenix Shipyards in Williamstown, Melbourne, with the design based on the commercial RoRo ship Ben my Chree. However, the choice of a commercially-based design has been criticised after the ship was delivered, as it placed several limitations on the functionality of the ship in rough seas - rather than the coastal environment for which the Ben my Chree was designed.

The keel was laid on 6 September 2005 and the MRV was launched successfully on 11 February 2006. The ship completed initial sea trials in the Netherlands and arrived in Australia in late August 2006 for fit-out with military equipment. Final acceptance was delayed due to alterations to the ships hospital and late delivery of documentation.^{[citation needed]} There were also ongoing concerns, negotiations and redesign activities regarding her performance in heavy seas, doubts about which had already been thrown up during her initial journey to Australia, and in fact, even before actual construction.

The MRV was accepted by the New Zealand Government on 31 May 2007 and commissioned on 12 June 2007 in Port Melbourne, Australia by the then Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark. The ship cost NZ$ 130 million to construct.

She was constructed with an ice-strengthened hull to allow her to operate in the subantarctic waters, where New Zealand claims several islands, and where Canterbury is to assist scientific expeditions.

Service

After commissioning, the ship sailed to its home port of Lyttelton arriving 28 June 2007. After several days of inaugural events, it departed again on 2 July. Following a courtesy visit to Timaru and after a month-long set of trials and exercises in the Auckland area, where she is operationally based at Devonport Naval Base, she is to head to New Zealand's subantarctic waters carrying DOC conservation officers.

In September 2007 Canterbury embarked 250 troops and 50 vehicles, including 20 NZLAV armoured vehicles, to test embarkation and disembarkation procedures.

In November 2007 Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae said that certain issues were being discussed with the shipbuilder including the location of the RHIB on the quarterdeck from which it was torn off during the storm in July, a possible fatigue problem with the landing craft fittings, and that the propellers come out of the water when the ship pitches in rough sea - there have been no problems, but there is concern this may affect the ship's machinery.

RHIB issues

The Canterbury weathered her first strong storm during 10 July 2007 well, though she lost one of her RHIBs (and almost lost the other) to waves swamping her open boat bays while near Tauranga on the way to Auckland. The RHIB was found a week later washed ashore on Great Barrier Island, 200 km to the north, and recovered by a farmer. The heavily damaged boat was to be returned to the navy, though it is unclear whether it can be repaired..

A court of inquiry found that the loss was due to a known design flaw identified in tank testing. The flaw resulted in the loss of the RHIB and water entering the cargo deck after the doors were opened by the sea. As a result of this the doors were tied shut. The court of inquiry also reported slamming of the bow and propellers leaving the water. Options to resolve the design problems on the ship include closing the alcoves in which the ships boats had been stowed. At the time the RHIB was lost, the ship's log records the weather conditions as being a wind strength of 60 knots, gusting to 73, a swell of six metres (sea state six), and a completely overcast, very dark night. The alcoves are 3.3 metres above the waterline and were swamped by the waves and because the ship was experiencing severe motion, rolling up to 28 degrees to port, at a roll frequency of 11.5 seconds. The ships anti-roll system will not function when the period of the ships roll is less than 11.9 seconds. Work to relocate the boats in a less vulnerable location is underway.

In October 2007 a crewmember was killed when an RHIB capsized whilst being lowered into the sea. The Navy immediately began an inquiry into the accident. Defence Minister Phil Goff later reported that it was caused by the failure of a quick release shackle, which was now being replaced on all naval vessels.

In September 2008, an independent review of the safety and functionality of the ship revealed that some operating limitations will have to be accepted, as sea keeping performance is poor in high sea states. The "selection of a commercial Roll-on, Roll-off (Ro-Ro) design" has "been at the root of differences of opinion between Tenix, the MoD and NZDF and the shortfalls in performance". The report also recommended relocating the ships boats (or protecting them from waves if relocation was not possible) and adding more ballast / improving the ballasting system of the Canterbury. New Zodiac inflatable sea boats were ordered from Tenix Australia to replace the two Gemini sea boats that were damaged.

Capabilities

Armaments

As a sealift ship, the Canterbury is not intended to enter combat, or conduct opposed landings under fire. The ship's armament is therefore limited, and intended for self-defense against other smaller craft, and for ocean patrol duties (for example the intercepting of suspicious civilian craft) during a naval blockade.

Facilities

Cargo

The ship has cargo space of 1,451 m², which can be unloaded via two ramps, either from the starboard side or the stern.

The indicative cargo would encompass (as one possible loadout): 14 Pinzgauer Light Operational Vehicles, 16 NZLAV light armoured vehicles, 7 Unimog trucks, 2 ambulances, 2 flat bed trucks, 7 vehicle trailers, 2 rough terrain forklifts, 4 ATV-type vehicles and up to 33 20ft TEU containers.

The ship is equipped to embark up to 8 containers of ammunition and up to 2 with hazardous materials, and also has an extensive fire sprinkler system.

Landing Craft

The ship also carries two Landing Craft, Medium. The two LCM have a length of 23m and a displacement 55 tonnes (empty) to 100 tonnes (loaded with 2 NZLAVs). They are operated by a crew of 3, using two Azimuth thrusters generating 235kW. The LCMs can be loaded from either of Canterbury's two 60 tonne cranes or via the stern ramp. To aid stern ramp loading the MRV is fitted with Flippers to ensure that the LCM are aligned with the MRV. A ballasting system is fitted to allow for safe operations during loading. Once loaded the LCM can conduct over-the-beach landings. Due to fatigue cracking to the bow ramps while in use, the LCMs are now being replaced, using some of the money recovered from the resolvement of the Protector project. The fate of the current craft is currently undecided.

Helicopter facilities

Canterbury is able to accommodate up to four NH90 hellicopters for deployment ashore in support of NZ Army operations and disaster relief activities. She is also capable of operating the SH-2G Seasprite and the helicopter deck is able to handle a Chinook-size helicopter.

Medical

Canterbury has a 5 bed hospital ward, a two bed sickbay, an operating theatre, a medical laboratory and a morgue.

Others

The ship also contains a gym, workshops, an armoury and magazine as well as offices for government officials embarked (such as Department of Conservation or NIWA scientists).

See also

File:Canterbury In All Her Massiveness II.jpg

Seen from the neighbouring HMNZS Te Kaha, the Canterbury's size is especially visible.

File:Devonport Naval Base.JPG

Berthed at the Devonport Naval Base, Auckland, November 2007. The image show one of the boat bays located around 3 m above the waterline.

• Logistic ships of the Royal New Zealand Navy
• HMNZS Canterbury (F-421) (name predecessor)
• Protector class IPV
• Protector class OPV

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

HMNZS Canterbury (L421)

• HMNZS Canterbury - L421 (official website of the Royal New Zealand Navy)
• Project Protector (from the Royal New Zealand Navy website)
• Phase One: Land Forces and Sealift (from the New Zealand Defence Force Capability Review, November 2000)
• Key Findings (from the Maritime Forces Review, January 2002)