22 May 2007

They don’t like being called sailors, but seven Army personnel have forsaken the land for the sea and have become part of the ship’s company of the new multi-role vessel CANTERBURY.

The soldiers – a staff sergeant, a sergeant, a corporal and four privates – are movement operators formerly from 5 Movement Company, and are already ensconced into life on board the multi role vessel. The MRV is in Williamstown, Melbourne where it is being fitted out before sailing to New Zealand next month.

The vessel’s primary role will be to provide the NZDF with a tactical sealift capability to enable the transfer of personnel, equipment and stores into a theatre of operations, and from the ship to shore.

CANTERBURY has many inbuilt systems and components to provide that sealift capability to the NZDF, such as the vehicle deck, stern and side ramps, 60-tonne cranes, landing craft, large hangar and flight deck with two ‘spots’, and container size cargo hatches.

Lt Paul Weatherston, of 5 Movement Company, says the soldiers are all trained in terminal operations, and they will be responsible for operating cranes, forklifts, trucks and other vehicles on the ship, securing cargo, and keeping stock of what’s moving on and off the vessel. They will also prepare loads for underslinging beneath helicopters. Their individual postings to the ship are between 12 months and three years.

Most of the team have sea-going experience, which was augmented by the New Zealand shipping company Strait Shipping opening up its vessels for the soldiers to spend a few days on and add to their sea time.

Movement operator Corporal Simon Haughey says it has been “challenging” but enjoyable getting used to life on board the MRV, and becoming familiar with a different Service culture. Toilets are now “heads” meals are “scran”, and instead of stories “dits” are told. “Their terminology is very different from ours in the Army. The Navy seems to have its own language at times.”

Navy procedures are also different from those in the Army, which “is taking a bit of getting used to,” he says.

Most of the movement operators have worked together before, several of them in the Antarctic unloading American ships.

The MRV has the capability to accommodate 363 personnel onboard. There are 252 bunks set aside for the embarked force, leaving 111 bunks for:

• 53 Naval ship’s company,
• 7 ship’s Army Loading Team,
• 10 RNZAF flight maintainers,
• 36 trainees,
• 1 Flag Officer or VIP, and
• 4 government agency officers.

The embarked forces have their own galley, dining area and recreation spaces. There is a hospital capable of taking five patients which includes an operating theatre, pre and post-op care, as well as a very well-appointed sickbay for the day to day needs of the permanent ship’s company.

To facilitate the movement of embarked forces ashore, CANTERBURY has four options:

1. berthing at a wharf and unloading through the stern and/or side ramps,
2. helicopter transfer,
3. landing craft utilising the crane and stern door, and
4. seaboat (RHIB).

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