Navy in port today
Posted at 12:46pm Sunday 22 Jun, 2014
The offshore patrol vessel HMNZS Otago is alongside at the Port of Tauranga over the weekend and returns to sea on Monday.
But crew's weekend shore leave is part of an ongoing exercise. The ship's company is currently doing a ‘work-up' where the ship and crew are tested and put through their paces by a shore based team called Maritime Operational Evaluation Team (MOET).
HMNZS Otago alongside the Mount Maunganui wharf
The work-up continues while the ship is alongside and involves crew members being faced with handling testing situations over a range of operational scenarios.
Tauranga and Mount Maunganui Fire services were called to the ship on Sunday afternoon as a fire on board brigade exercise.
“This port-call is not so much a rest for the crew, but allowing the work-up team to test the crew alongside and while crew numbers are reduced during shore leave scenarios,” says Regional Naval Officer Lieutenant Commander Evan Dynes.