Commanding Officer - HMNZS ROTOITI
Lieutenant Kane Sutherland, RNZN
Lieutenant Kane William Sutherland was born in Napier, New Zealand on 9 November 1983. While still young he moved with his family to the coastal town of Tolaga Bay and later to Gisborne where he grew up and was educated.
He joined the Royal New Zealand Navy in February 2002 as a Seaman Officer at the rank of Midshipman. Following Junior Officer Common Training he completed the first phase of his specialist training prior to commencing university study. A graduate of the University of Auckland, LT Sutherland completed a Bachelor of Science in 2005 majoring in Geography, specialising in Environmental Science. He was promoted to Sub Lieutenant on completion of his studies.
LT Sutherland posted to HMNZS TE MANA to further his Officer of the Watch training and was awarded his Grade 3 endorsement for Anzac class frigates in March 2006. Shortly after he posted ashore to commence his Grade 1 and 2 Officer of the Watch courses. He finished as one of the top students and was offered a posting to the Canadian Forces.
Posted to the HALIFAX class frigate HMCS REGINA, LT Sutherland spent 14 months based out of Esquimalt, Canada. During his posting he conducted a number of military exercises and deployments operating in South East Asia and the west coast of Canada and the Americas. He was awarded his Bridge Watchkeeping certificate by the Commanding Officer HMCS REGINA and promoted to Lieutenant in 2007.
On return to New Zealand LT Sutherland posted to HMNZS TE MANA and deployed to the Gulf for Operation ARIKI. As part of this operational deployment he was awarded the Operational Service Medal and the General Service Medal (Afghanistan) (Secondary).
In April 2009 LT Sutherland completed the Major Fleet Unit Navigating Officers Course and returned to HMNZS TE MANA where he deployed throughout South East Asia for exercises with the Five Power Defence Agreement nations. In December 2009 he was appointed the Navigating Officer of HMNZS TE MANA.
From July to September 2010, LT Sutherland deployed as the Assistant Task Group Operations Officer within the Singapore-led Combined Task Force 151 embarked in the Singaporean Landing Tank Ship, RSS ENDURANCE. This mission was focused on counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Somali Basin.
He posted to HMNZS OTAGO in Oct 2010 as the Operations and Navigating Officer. During his posting he was deployed throughout the South Pacific, New Zealand and Southern Ocean conducting multi-agency patrols and diplomatic deployments.
In December 2011 LT Sutherland assumed command of HMNZS PUKAKI where he was involved in a number of multi agency patrols around New Zealand. During his command, and while HMNZS PUKAKI was in a maintenance period, he attached to HMNZS OTAGO as the Navigating Officer where he was involved in another multi agency and diplomatic deployment to the South Pacific Islands.
He relinquished command of HMNZS PUKAKI and assumed command of HMNZS ROTOITI on 1 August 2012.