HMNZS Canterbury (L421)

HMNZS Canterbury off Samoa in 2009.
History
New Zealand
Name:	HMNZS Canterbury
Namesake:	HMNZS Canterbury (F421)
Builder:	Merwede Shipyards, Netherlands; fitted out by Tenix Pty Ltd
Cost:	NZ$130 million
Laid down:	6 September 2005
Launched:	11 February 2006
Sponsored by:	Helen Clark
Completed:	31 May 2007
Commissioned:	12 June 2007
Homeport:	Ceremonially: Lyttelton Operationally: Devonport
Identification:	Pennant number: L421
Status:	Active
General characteristics
Type:	Multi-role vessel
Displacement:	9,000 tonnes (full load)
Length:	131 m (430 ft)
Beam:	23.4 m (77 ft)
Draught:	5.4 m (18 ft)
Propulsion:	CODADE (Combined Diesel and Diesel Electric) consisting of 2 Wärtsilä Engines @ 4.5 MW, 3 × Auxiliary diesels, 2 × Bow Thrusters
Speed:	19.6 kn (36.3 km/h; 22.6 mph) baseline 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph) economical
Range:	8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried:	2 × medium landing Craft (23 m) Displacement: 55 tonnes (empty) 100 tonnes (full load), Crew: 3 2 × RHIB (7.4 m), 300 hp (220 kW), Range: 130 nmi (240 km) Speed: 35 kn (65 km/h) 2 × special forces RHIB (11 m) as optional cargo
Troops:	Up to 250
Complement:	Core: 53 Naval, 10 Air Force, 7 Army Other: 35 trainees, 4 government agents
Sensors and processing systems:	Fire Control: Vistar Electro-Optical ESM: CEA Warrlock HFDF Radar: S & X Band
Armament:	1 × Remote Controlled MSI DS25 Stabilised Naval Gun with 25mm M242 Bushmaster cannon 2 × .50 calibre machine guns Small arms
Aircraft carried:	2 × SH-2G Seasprite helicopter. Can be armed with a combination of homing torpedoes, depth charges, Penguin Air to Surface missiles and a MAG58M Machine Gun. 4 × NH90 helicopters can also be hangared for transport, however cannot yet be operated off of the ship at sea.
Aviation facilities:	Helicopter deck (stern)

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 purpose-built 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. 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.

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 third frigate from the Maritime Forces Review, while the sea lift requirement was also part of a wider capability mix desired.

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 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 ship's hospital and late delivery of documentation. 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.