New Zealand Issues Tender To Replace Fleet Tanker

New Zealand's Ministry of Defence has issued a tender for a ship to replace the existing fleet tanker HMNZS Endeavour.

The nation needs the new ship to spend up to 160 days at sea every year and 60 days alongside, the DefenseNews reported on Tuesday.

Powered by diesel engines driving twin props, the tender specifies a range of 6,450 nautical miles at 16 knots, and is capable to equip two mini-typhoon gun systems and a Phalanx close-in weapon system.

The tender also requires a container deck with a capacity for no less than 12 20-foot-equivalent containers in a single tier.

The ship must be able to operate and maintain hangar space for any one of New Zealand's helicopter types, which include the NH90, SH-2G and the A109.

Commissioned in April 1988, Endeavour was scheduled to be decommissioned in 2013 but instead it was given a double hull during an 18-month maintenance period so it could serve until April 2018. The tender calls for a service life of 25 years.

Endeavour has a range of 10,000 nautical miles and can attain 14 knots.