CANTERBURY, L421
Specifications:
- Standard Displacement: 8,000 tonnes
- Length Overall: 131 metres
- Beam: 23.4 metres
- Speed: 19 knots
- Complement: 53 Core Ship, 10 Flight, 4 Government, 7 Army Ships Staff, 35 Trainees, 250 Troops
- Propulsion: Diesel engines
Aircraft
CANTERBURY has spots for two helicopters. She can carry both the KAMAN SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopter and the Air Force NH-90 utility helicopters.
Image: CANTERBURY berthed at Williamstown, with ANZAC frigate HMAS STUART alongside to give a size perspective.
The Multi Role Vessel (MRV) CANTERBURY will provide sealift capability for the transport and deployment of equipment, vehicles (including the Army's light armoured vehicles and light operational vehicles) and personnel. In addition the ship can carry a number of utility helicopters as cargo to be flown off at destination. The ship will be capable of transferring cargo and personnel ashore when port facilities are not available.
CANTERBURY will be able to undertake patrol tasks in New Zealand's EEZ, the Southern Ocean and South Pacific; humanitarian and disaster relief tasks in the Pacific; and support peacekeeping operations. She will also be used to meet the Navy's training requirements.
Image: The bridge of CANTERBURY during construction.
CANTERBURY shares her name with the Navy's last Leander class frigate, decommissioned on 31 March 2005. Affiliated to the Canterbury region, the ship's home ports will include Lyttelton, and Timaru.
CANTERBURY was built by Merwede Shipyard in the Netherlands, under a sub-contract to Tenix. The ship sailed to Williamstown, Australia for final fitout of naval equipment prior to acceptance into New Zealand service. The design is based on a commercial Roll On-Roll Off ship, BEN-MY-CHREE in operational in the Irish sea.