HMNZS Taupo arrived in port last week, marking the first visit to Timaru by a Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) ship in several years.
Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen was able to welcome the inshore patrol vessel to town on Thursday, after an earlier visit was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.
HMNZS Taupo is one of four RNZN patrol vessels, although the navy has been running only two of them for the past four or so due to personnel constraints.
Lieutenant Fletcher Slierendrecht took command of the ship in 2021, just after he turned 26.
‘‘2009 was the ship’s first operating year.
‘‘This is a small ship — only 500 tonnes — and we have a core crew of 26 at the moment, with 31 people on board, but we can have a maximum of 38 people aboard.’’
As of the last year and a bit, the Taupo had been more dedicated to serving as a training ship, Lt Slierendrecht said.
‘‘We have four junior officers on board and the navigation course that we’ve got is actually a really big one, as far as the navy goes. We will spend two months’ worth of driving round the coast of New Zealand just training these junior officers in navigation.’’
As with civilian sectors within New Zealand at present, the navy had many positions that needed to be filled.
Lt Slierendrecht had not known what he wanted to do as the end of high school grew near, he said.
Coming from a very outdoor-oriented family in Nelson, he knew he wanted a career in the maritime industry, but had not known what that might look like until the recruiting bus came around in 2012.
‘‘The recruiting process took about six to seven months, and you would find out in basic training whether or not you were cut out for it.’’
The navy offered many different career options and opportunities to develop and further skills in a chosen path, he said.
‘‘From logistics to operations to officer pathways, there is plenty of opportunity to expand and now travel, as we are on the tail end of Covid-19.’’
There had been a quiet period for international deployments due to Covid-19 and the navy’s two frigates having been in Canada for a few years with delays, but the navy was now getting back to them, with a focus on their reintroduction.
‘‘We did exchanges with the Australian navy which was a big commitment but helped with trade shortages, and was a good opportunity for people to experience working with a bigger navy.
‘‘You do get homesick. You look forward to coming home but you also look forward to going to China the next week or Japan, so there’s always little things to look forward to. It gets you through.’’
It was a unique work environment, and crew became pretty close working with a smaller company on a smaller ship, he said.
‘‘I personally like the regimental part of being on an Anzac frigate, the high professionalism, like we are a warship.
‘‘But I love these ships. I think patrol boats have got so much to offer, developing the breadth of experience at a junior level but in a safe environment.
‘‘A huge asset — I think it’s going to be sad to see them go when they eventually go.’’
