Royal New Zealand Navy offshore patrol boat HMNZS Wellington is making its first visit to Tauranga this week.

The ship is due in port at 10.30am on Friday and is being opened for public viewing on Sunday.

This is the first time a ship of this class has visited Tauranga.

Its commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Simon Griffiths, is inviting the public to tour the ship and meet its crew from 10am to 2pm on Sunday, May 29.

The patrol boat, which was delivered from Melbourne last year, is to be at the No1 berth at the northern end of the Mount Maunganui wharf, with public access via the Salisbury gate.

The Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), Otago and Wellington deliver substantial new capability to the Royal New Zealand Navy.

The ships can go further offshore, stay at sea longer and conduct more challenging operations than the Inshore Patrol Vessels. They will enable the RNZN to conduct patrol and surveillance operations around New Zealand, the southern ocean and into the Pacific.

The OPVs are capable of many roles including maritime patrol, surveillance and response. They have the ability to conduct helicopter operations using a Seasprite SH2G helicopter, boarding operations using the ships Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats or Military Support Operations with embarked forces.

The OPVs have strengthened hulls which enable them to enter southern waters where ice may be encountered. They are not designed as ice-breakers or to enter Antarctic ice-packs, but have the range and capability to undertake patrols in the southern ocean where ice may be encountered.

The ships are highly automated and operate with a core crew of 35, plus 10 flight crew to operate a helicopter. The ships power and control systems are fully computerised.

HMNZS Wellington is the second of the Offshore Patrol Vessels to be accepted by the Royal New Zealand Navy as part of Project Protector. HMNZS Wellington was delivered from Melbourne last year and is the last of the Project Protector series of ships delivered following the Multi-Role Vessel HMNZS Canterbury, the four inshore patrol vessels and the Offshore Patrol Vessel HMNZS Otago.

HMNZS Wellington's Pennant Number is P55, her international call sign – ZMFS.
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