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Navy reserve unit celebrates 100 years – HMNZS Ngapona

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Reservists, colleagues and sailors past and present celebrated the centenary of Auckland-based reserve unit HMNZS Ngapona over November 22-24.

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04 December, 2024

Events included a pōwhiri at Te Taua Moana, base tours, a Beat the Retreat ceremony and reception at the Navy Museum, and a memorial service at St Christopher’s Chapel.

Ngapona’s Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Chetan Sawyer said it was an “awesome” weekend, following on from Ngapona’s public-facing highlights of the Whangārei Maritime Festival in October.

“The whole weekend was amazing, but the combined service and ‘end of year function’ was a real highlight of the weekend,” he said. “Everyone was in a really good mood and there was some fantastic humour.”

A particular item of nostalgia was visits to ex-RNZN Harbour Defence Motor Launch (HDML) ‘Paea’, now in private ownership. Ngapona’s divisional coxswain Chief Petty Officer Combat System Specialist Shane Kennedy and relief coxswain Petty Officer Naval Policeman Mike ‘Buck’ Taylor helped crew the boat from Whangārei to a mooring in Bayswater, North Shore where it was made available for viewing.

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According to the Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy, the New Zealand Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve was established in October 1924, based in Auckland. It was renamed the Auckland Division in 1928, in keeping with the creation of Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin Divisions.

In October 1941 all Divisions were renamed as Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve. At this point the Divisions were not active; all personnel were mobilised as part of the war effort.

In November 1951, the Division was commissioned as a ship: HMNZS Ngapona. The ship’s name is taken from a Māori proverb relating to the three peaks of Rangitoto. The ship’s badge denotes the kaka, a native bird that was originally found on Rangitoto. The ship’s motto is “we serve together”.

Ngapona moved from its long-time position in St Mary’s Bay in 2007 and is now located in within Devonport Naval Base.

A popular souvenir for the centenary was Ngapona’s Centenary challenge coin. Ngapona’s own Lieutenant Commander Graeme ‘Frosty’ Frost designed the coin based on the ship’s crest. It quickly sold out.

Barge to Innovate New Zealand Coastal Shipping Grounds in Storm

02-Sep-2024

A newly launched service using a self-propelled barge that was promoted as a game changer in New Zealand’s coastal shipping ran into problems just weeks after it launched. The Manahau, a 321-foot (98-meter) barge with a crew of 11 ran aground on the northwest shore of New Zealand’s South Island during a storm around midnight on September 1. Officials fear it will be days before the vessel can be refloated and, in the meantime, it has become a local spectacle.

The 2006-built barge which has a capacity of 7,000 tonnes arrived in New Zealand in July from Indonesia where it had undergone an extensive refit. The work included overhauling the engines, azimuth drive shafts, and bow thrusters, as well as new electronics, navigation equipment, accommodations, electrical wiring, and steel plates. The vessel which is registered in the South Pacific nation of Niue, was brought up to the certification standards of RINA Class.

 (Deon Swiggs, Regional Councillor on Facebook)

The Buller District in New Zealand reported the grounding with local officials saying the vessel was not loaded and was holding offshore due to recent storms. New Zealand had experienced several days of bad weather and overnight from Saturday to Sunday, there were squally thunderstorms and winds.

When it arrived at Westport in mid-August, the vessel’s operator WMS (Westland Mineral Sands) said crews would be “doing a few crossings of the bar” to ensure familiarity with the local conditions before starting shipping operations. On August 17, Manahau completed its first shipment of mineral sands from Westport to Nelson. The company reported it carried several thousand tonnes of heavy mineral concentrate which was being shipped to customers in Asia.

“Coastal shipping of bulk commodities on this scale hasn’t existed in New Zealand and our mineral sands is the cornerstone cargo that has made this investment possible,” said Ray Mudgway, WMS Group managing director. “We’ve invested heavily to ensure the vessel and operation is world-class and a game changer for New Zealand.”

The company highlighted that Manahau was a versatile vessel that would provide a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to road or rail transport for bulk material. Specifically, it provides a new capability to access smaller regional ports and rivers, “a capacity no other vessel in New Zealand could achieve,” said WMS. It will transport aggregate, construction sand, and hard rock resources.

Manahau made its first delivery on August 17 opening a new coastal shipping service (WMS)

Maritime New Zealand responded to the grounding and is taking the lead in coordinating the efforts. On Sunday, September 1, they reported the effort was to stabilize the barge. Crews were digging on the beach to create anchor points to “lock the vessel in place.” Local officials said the stern would possibly be floating at high tide while noting it is broadside to the waves.

Following the grounding, the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) expressed concerns over the fact that the barge was crewed by foreign seafarers and sailed under a foreign flag. “Vessels such as the Manahau operating in New Zealand’s unique and challenging maritime environment should be crewed by experienced New Zealand seafarers,” said Carl Findlay, MUNZ National Secretary.

Maritime NZ said plans would be developed in the coming days on how best to remove the vessel from the beach. WMS also said that specialized tugs were being brought in for the operation.

Second World War-era bombs in Vanuatu made safe by RNZ Navy divers

Explosive Second World War relics that have lain underwater in Port Vila Harbour for nearly 80 years have been rendered safe by Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) divers, at the request of the Government of Vanuatu.

26 JUNE, 2024

The five 1000lb bombs – likely disposed of via a ship at the end of the Second World War – were sitting in around 20 metres of water.

Supported by Vanuatu officials, and operating from HMNZS Manawanui, five Maritime Explosive Ordnance Disposal Divers from HMNZS Matataua confirmed the location of the explosive remnants of war (ERW), before using a low order charge to crack the bombs open. 

Chief Petty Officer Diver Jarron Williams led the dive team for the operation, and said that the method they used was the least disruptive in the sensitive maritime conservation area.

“A low order charge to crack the ordnance open is a method that we’ve successfully utilised in other Pacific nations affected by ERW, like Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. A RHIB with personnel on floats on the ocean with HMNZS Manawanui in the background.

VANUATU POLICE MARITIME WING AND RNZN PERSONNEL PREPARE TO LAUNCH THE REMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING UNIT (REMUS) FOR A SURVEY OF THE SEA BED, WITH HMNZS MANAWANUI IN THE BACKGROUNDPhoto 2 v13

RNZN PERSONNEL AND MEMBERS OF THE VANUATU POLICE MARITIME WING WORK TOGETHER TO LAUNCH THE REMUS FOR A SEA BED SURVEYPhoto 5 v8

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“Once the bomb is open, it’s flooded with sea water which renders the explosive ineffective.

“Of course there’s no big boom like you might see in the movies, but it’s much safer for the marine life and better for the environment.”

With the task in Vanuatu complete, HMNZS Manawanui continues her Pacific operation and will transit to Tonga, for His Majesty King Tupou VI’s birthday celebrations and the 50th Anniversary of His Majesty’s Armed Forces Navy.