The New Zealand government has given the go-ahead for the Ministry of Defence to seek a replacement for the fleet replenishment tanker HMNZS Endeavour. The South Korean-built single-hull vessel is due to be decommissioned in 2018, by which time she will be 30 years old and will contravene new international maritimeregulations.
The NZDF has been studying options for a ‘Maritime Projection and Sustainment Capability’ for some time, with a request for tender expected to be issued in early 2015.Any replacement vessel is certain to be more versatile, offering a limited sealift capability in addition to its core capability as a tanker.
Options under consideration include a ship with a minimum of 260 lane metres for vehicles, along with its own landing craft and helicopters, to complement the amphibious role of HMNZS Canterbury. Performance requirements include a minimum 8,000 nautical mile range at 16 knots, with a maximum speed of 18 knots.
