HMNZS Otago (P148)

HMNZS Otago (P148) is a Protector class off-shore patrol vessel in service with the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was launched in 2006 but suffered from problems during construction and was not commissioned until 2010, two years later than planned. Soon after commissioning Otago encountered problems with both her engines which delayed her arrival at her home port of Port Chalmers. She has served on several lengthy patrols of the Antarctic, though she lacks the capability to operate in heavier levels of ice-coverage which has led to the cancellation of at least one planned operation.

Name
The ship is named in honour of the New Zealand province of Otago, associated with the city of Dunedin. The previous HMNZS Otago (F111), was a Rothesay-class frigate that served in the Royal New Zealand Navy from 1960 until 1983.

Construction
The ship was built by Tenix as part of the New Zealand government's Royal New Zealand Navy plans, and was expected to enter service in late 2008. She was launched in Williamstown, Victoria on 18 November 2006 and sponsored by Dame Silvia Cartwright. The first commanding officer of Otago was Lieutenant Commander Simon Rooke MNZM.

Otago suffered delays in delivery. In late 2008, it became known that the vessel was not considered to meet all contract specifications, and exceeded her design displacement. The initial crew stationed in Melbourne to commission the vessel returned to New Zealand while the build was completed. On 18 February 2010, the ship was accepted into the RNZN after the builders claimed that being slightly overweight would not stop her from patrolling in Antarctic waters. In mid March 2010, the vessel developed problems in both engines during sea trials, and had to limp back into port in Australia, instead of arriving in Auckland as originally planned. HMNZS Otago eventually arrived in Auckland in April 2010, nearly two years after the original target date.

Service
HMNZS Otago made her first visit to her home port of Port Chalmers on 22 July 2010. On her maiden voyage Otago encountered trouble when sea water contaminated her bunker fuel. She suffered further technical difficulties in December 2010 during a visit to Campbell Island with her engineers having to make temporary repairs to both engines prior to an early return to Devonport Naval Base for repairs. Governor General Anand Satyanand and cabinet minister Kate Wilkinson who were on board at the time were transferred to HMNZS Wellington to continue their tour.

Lieutenant-Commander Robert McCaw assumed command of the vessel on 12 September 2012. Since then she has served on lengthy patrols of the Antarctic, though a planned mission to monitor fisheries in the Southern Ocean had to be cancelled because the vessel lacked the capability to operate in that level of ice cover. Her duties have included fisheries protection, conservation and transportation of scientific staff. The scientists carried by Otago discovered 90 new species of seaweed on a single Sub-Antarctic island. The vessel has also conducted two search and rescue operations.