New Zealand Navy’s sole tanker concludes her last deployment

Royal New Zealand Navy’s fleet oiler returned to her homeport of Devonport Naval Base on June 13 completing her last operational deployment.

The 30-year-old Endeavour wrapped up a four-month South-east Asia deployment and is set to be decommissioned later this year.

HMNZS Endeavour started her service in April 1988 after being built in South Korea. Endeavour is the third ship of this name to serve in the Royal New Zealand Navy and is named after James Cook’s HM Barque Endeavour on his first voyage to New Zealand.

Crewed by 50 officers and sailors, Endeavour spent her years in service refueling ships at sea, enabling other navy vessels to operate over long distances for extended periods of time.

She will be replaced by what will be the Royal New Zealand Navy’s largest ship ever.

HMNZS Aotearoa, as the vessel will be named, will have twice the displacement of HMNZS Endeavour and will carry 30 per cent more fuel.

Construction of the new 24,000-tonne vessel will start next year and is expected to be delivered in January 2020.