Key Takeaways

• HMNZS Aotearoa, a Royal New Zealand Navy maritime replenishment vessel, has returned home to Devonport Naval Base after an eight-month deployment.
• The ship spent 307 days away from New Zealand, sailing over 31,000 nautical miles and conducting exercises and operations in the Indo-Pacific region.
• The mission demonstrated New Zealand’s commitment to defending the international rules-based system and advancing the country’s interests from the sea.
• The ship’s company of 80 personnel played a critical support role throughout the year, resupplying Scott Base and McMurdo Station and refuelling partner nations’ ships.
• HMNZS Aotearoa and its crew will now go on leave before preparations for another busy operational year in 2026.

Introduction to HMNZS Aotearoa’s Deployment
Hundreds of friends and family gathered on the wharves at Devonport Naval Base in Auckland to welcome HMNZS Aotearoa home for Christmas after an eight-month deployment. The ship spent 307 days away from New Zealand and sailed more than 31,000 nautical miles as it conducted exercises and operations from Antarctica to the Korean Peninsula and throughout the wider Indo-Pacific region. This lengthy deployment was a significant undertaking for the Royal New Zealand Navy, and the ship’s return marks a major milestone in the country’s naval operations.

The Mission and Its Objectives
The mission of HMNZS Aotearoa was to demonstrate