Keel Laying For NZ Patrol Vessel

The keel was formally laid for the second Inshore Patrol Vessel, HAWEA, in Whangerei, New Zealond on Wednesday 13 December. HAWEA is affiliated to the Greymouth/Westport - WestCoast region and is one of four In Shore Patrol Vessels being built for the Navy under Project Protector.

A giant truck and trailer unit gently moved Module 3 of IPV2 (HAWEA) on to the consolidation bay on Wednesday. Module 3 is the central module of five which make up the HAWEA’s hull. HAWEA will bethe second of New Zealand’s multi agency fleet of Inshore Patrol Vessels which form part of Project PROTECTOR, a project which will provide a significant capability for a range of Government agencies and the Navy to protect New Zealand’s maritime borders. After Module 3 was placed in position, the central dock block was lowered, and a coin was placed into a special cavity carved into the wooden dock block; the block was then hammered home. New Zealand Defense Force