She was named after James Cook’s Bark Endeavour and is the third ship in the RNZN to carry that name, though if continuity with the Royal Navy ships of the name HMS Endeavour is considered, she is the twelfth. The previous two ships of the RNZN were Antarctic research support vessels. Endeavour was built in South Korea to a commercial design and commissioned on 8 April 1988.
Endeavour was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce from 21 to 24 September 1999, and from 28 January to 23 February 2000.[1] In January 2010, Endeavour was awarded the Chatham Rosebowl, the award for the best performing ship in the RNZN. As a result for all of 2011 she flies the ‘E’ Pennant for efficiency. In 2012 Endeavour attended Exercise RIMPAC.
The RNZN is currently searching for a replacement for Endeavour. The ship was previously due to be decommissioned in 2013; however, it was given a double hull during an 18-month refit so that it could continue in serve until 2018. In March 2015 a request for tender for a replacement vessel was released by the New Zealand Ministry of Defence.
See more here – https://rnznships.com/category/antarctic-supply-ships/ass-endeavour-3/
