LOGISTICS VESSELS
‘Nuship’ Canterbury completes contractor's sea trials
I
N January, ‘Nuship’ Canterbury, the Royal New Zealand Navy’s new Multi-Role
Vessel (MRV), sailed from the Tenix ship yard in Williamstown to conduct four days of contractor’s sea trials. On sailing from Williamstown, Tenix and the
New Zealand Ministry of Defence team set out to determine that Canterbury could provide the capabilities required by the contract. As previously highlighted in Warship Technology, Canterbury’s primary role will be to provide the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) with a tactical sealift capability to enable the transfer of personnel, equipment, and stores into a theatre of operations and thence from the ship to shore. The MRV has many inbuilt systems and
components to provide that sealift capability to the NZDF, such as the vehicle deck, stern and side ramps, 60tonne cranes, landing craft, large hangar, and flight deck with two ‘spots’ and container size cargo hatches.
Embarked Force Facilities Canterbury has the capability to accommodate 363 personnel onboard. There are 252 bunks set aside for the embarked force, leaving111 bunks for:
• 53 naval ship’s company. • Seven ship’s Army Loading Team. • 10 RNZAF flight maintainers. •
36 trainees.
• One flag officer or VIPs. • Four government agency officers.
The embarked forces have their own galley,
dining area, and recreation spaces. There is also a hospital capable of taking five patients including an operating theatre, pre and post- op care, and a very well appointed sickbay for the day to day needs of the permanent ship’s company.
Ship to Shore Manoeuvre To facilitate the movement of embarked forces ashore, Canterbury has four options:
• Berthing at a wharf and unloading through the stern and/or side ramps. Helicopter transfer.
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• Landing craft utilising the crane and stern door.
• Seaboat (RHIB). The preferable option is to berth at a wharf so
that vehicles can drive on and off, utilising the stern door and side vehicle ramps. This option will definitely provide for ease of operation, however in many situations a port may be unavailable or inappropriate for the mission. Helicopter transfer of equipment and
personnel is also a viable option. Canterbury has a storage hangar for up to four of the future NH90 helicopters, and a separate hangar for the SH-2G Super Seasprite. The flight deck is capable of taking up to a Chinook-size
50 Stern view of Canterbury. Sea trials – lowering the LCM.
helicopter, therefore providing interoperability with the helicopters of the Australian Defence Force. The MRV is also equipped with two Landing Craft-Medium (LCM) which are stored on 01 deck just forward of the flight deck. Each LCM weighs 58tonnes and is capable of carrying 50tonnes of stores and/or vehicles. The process of transporting equipment ashore by LCM is
very simple in principle. The crane lowers the LCM into the water, the crew then drive it around to the stern of the ship. Subsequently, the ship’s stern door is lowered and the LCM makes its approach with its bow ramp down. Once the LCM is in position on the stern door of Canterbury, two hydraulic rams guide the LCM into place. The vehicles and stores can then be driven on and off as required.
WARSHIP TECHNOLOGY MAY 2007
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