WELLINGTON, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand military is to open tenders next month on the construction of a new navy support ship, Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee said Wednesday.
The littoral operations support vessel would provide a platform for hydrography, deep diving and mine countermeasures activities.
"The ship will offer new capabilities that will support NZDF (New Zealand Defence Force) sea-to-shore operations in low to medium threat environments," Brownlee said in a statement.
"It will be used, for example, to identify safe approaches and landing zones when harbour channels or ports are unavailable after natural disasters," he said.
"It will have particular utility in the Pacific, assisting with humanitarian and disaster relief operations."
Read the full story at Xinhua