OVERVIEW: The Canterbury is a 2-shaft CODADE powered multi-role Vessel for Amphibious and Sealift operations.

DETAILS: The Canterbury is a multi-role vessel (MRV) with a primary mission of delivering personnel, vehicles and cargo using conventional port infrastructure or directly ship-to-shore using Landing Craft, boats or helicopter airlift. It has a secondary mission of providing limited tactical sealift capacity for disaster relief, humanitarian relief ops, peace support ops. 

 The ship features an ice-strengthened hull to operate in the sub-Antarctic waters. An onboard command and control facility allows it to be used to control military or civilian operations.

It has 1451 m2 cargo space and= can house 33 20ft ISO containers in total, including 8 containers with ammo and up to two with hazardous materials. Troop capacity 243 troops.  

Cargo handling facilities include two 60 tons cranes and 2 medium landing craft (23 m).  It also has a RO/RO capability, but lacks a well deck.  

Aviation facilities include a hangar capable of holding  4 NH-90 or 2 SH-2G Seasprites, and a helicopter deck has two spots and is capable of receiving Chinook size helicopters.

The crew of 78 can be expanded with 45 additional personnel, in addition to 243 troops.   The ship has self-contained hospital with surgical capability.

The canterbury has I and E/F navigation band radars and an ESM system.  Self-defense is provided by a 25mm M242 Bushmaster and 2x .50 calibre MG's

SPECIFICATIONS:
Displacement: 9012 kts (full)
Speed: 19 (max), 16 kts (eco)
Engineering: CODADE; 2 Wärstilä 9L32 diesels with 12000 hp, 3 Volvo Penta aux diesels with 4916 hp. 2 Shafts; cp props
Range: 6000 at 15 kts
Endurance: ?
Complement: Crew 78 + 45 space for additional crew like aviation, staff, trainees, medical, etc. Plus 243 troops

NOTES: IOC June 2007.  Design is based on commercial Ro-Ro. It has poor sea keeping performance in high sea states.



SOURCES:  "HMNZS Canterbury (L421)." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Last modified February 19, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNZS_Canterbury_%28L421%29. ;; "HMNZS Canterbury – Multi-Role Vessel (MRV)." Naval Technology. Last modified October 16, 2011. https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/hmnzs-canterbury-multi-role-vessel-mrv/. ; "HMNZS Canterbury." NZDF - New Zealand Defence Force. Accessed April 30, 2022. https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/nzdf/our-equipment/ships-and-watercraft/hmnzs-canterbury/.
