HMNZS Manawanui ‘at home’ this week

 Published November 24, 2020 11:59AM

 

FIRST VISIT: HMNZS Manawanui at sea in the Hauraki Gulf, its first time sailing under Royal New Zealand Navy Control. The ship was commissioned in June last year. It will make its first visit to Gisborne on Thursday. File picture

HMNZS Manawanui, the Royal New Zealand Navy vessel that calls Gisborne its home port, arrives here on Thursday for four days.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern named Gisborne the Manawanui's home port when New Zealand purchased the vessel in 2018.

“It's common for naval ships to be assigned an honorary home port once they're commissioned,” said Mayor Rehette Stoltz.

The HMNZS Manawanui's visit will include a ceremonial “charter parade” where the Mayor and councillors will hand over the charter to the commanding officer and crew.

“It's the modern version of handing over the keys to the city.

“Gisborne has a long and proud history with New Zealand naval vessels, and it's very exciting that the ship is coming for the first time to its home port,” the Mayor said.

HMNZS Monowai and HMNZS Resolution both had Gisborne as their honorary home port, and both vessels received the charter here.

“So we are continuing a proud and a lovely tradition.”

HMNZS Manawanui was commissioned on June 7, 2019.

Naval divers and hydrographers from the vessel and its predecessors have provided important services to New Zealand, the Pacific and New Zealand's partners over the years.

“That work has included carrying out underwater search and rescue with the New Zealand Police, removing unexploded ordnance in the Pacific islands left over from World War 2 and surveying the sea floor after the Kaikoura earthquake,” Mayor Stoltz said.

The charter gives the ship's crew the right to march through Gisborne's streets, and to allow the council to request a ship's officer to attend civic functions to support the Mayor on official occasions.

A series of public events will be held to mark the Manawanui visit, including a free public concert by the Navy band at Kelvin Park from 12.30pm – 1.30pm today.

The Charter Parade through the city will be on Friday from 11am, starting at Fitzherbert St, crossing the Peel St bridge and continuing up to turn left into Gladstone Road, left into Lowe Street, left again into Reads Quay and back across the bridge to the council offices.

The ship will be open to the public on Saturday from 9am to 1pm at Eastland Port.

Parking may be limited during the public events, so visitors are asked to consider leaving cars at home or in town and walking to the wharf.