The Royal New Zealand Navy’s HMNZS Canterbury is sailing for the Sub-Antarctic on a two-week deployment enabling government agencies to carry out essential work on New Zealand’s far-flung islands.

The military sealift vessel departed Bluff on Saturday for the 465km journey south to the Auckland Islands (Maungahuka) and then Campbell Island (Moutere Ihupuku), which are constantly buffeted by the winds and storms that circle Antarctica in the Southern Ocean.

The Sub-Antarctic Islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and for many years the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has played a crucial role in supporting agencies that protect the natural heritage, important biodiversity, and pest-free status of both sets of islands.

On board Canterbury are staff from the Department of Conservation (DOC), MetService, representatives from Ngai Tahu and members of the 2025 Sir Peter BLAKE Expedition.

Commanding Officer of HMNZS Canterbury, Commander Bronwyn Heslop, says the contingent will be busy with a heavy work programme, but she is confident the ship will perform well in what can be extreme conditions.

“Due to previous cyclone responses there is a backlog of work to be done, and to complete that we have two Seasprite helicopters embarked, which will help us shift tonnes of material on and off the islands. The helicopters will also be able to move personnel to difficult-to-reach locations.

“We’ve got specialist support from across the NZDF, including personnel from 6 Squadron working with the Seasprites and an aerial delivery detachment from the New Zealand Army’s 1st Brigade, which will help with loading and unloading on the islands.

DOC has a large programme of work planned for Campbell Island, including assessing heritage sites, archaeological maintenance, removing rubbish and waste materials, hut and track maintenance.

Ngai Tahu tasks include scientific research ashore and in the water, and also assessing how long it will take to cut and maintain tracks on the island.

Sealion pup shelters will be delivered to Davis Point, Tucker Cove Hut will be demolished and removed, and water tanks will be delivered to Moubray and Sorenson Huts.

Dog teams will also be used to check for animal pests and staff will carry out seabird surveys.

DOC staff will be dropped at Enderby Island (north of Auckland Island) early in the journey and picked up on the return trip. On Enderby, a DOC dog team will check for pests, while clean-up work will also be carried out.

MetService staff will carry out the regular maintenance of the automatic weather stations at Campbell Island and Enderby Island.

The BLAKE expedition comprises 23 scientists, students, and teachers. They will carry out field work across four projects, hoping to develop an understanding of climate change and biodiversity in the Southern Ocean.

They will be part of a new project focussing on springtails, which are minuscule, wingless land-dwelling invertebrates found throughout the sub-Antarctic islands.

They will also conduct rock sampling for Chlorine-36 surface exposure dating, revealing crucial data about historical glacier movements and climate patterns. The team will also carry on work with peat coring looking at historical climate changes and intertidal kelp surveys aimed at monitoring marine ecosystem health in response to warming seas.

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