ROYAL NAVY VISITS NEW ZEALAND

HMS SPEY, a Royal Navy Batch 2

River-class offshore patrol vessel, made its first-ever visit to Aotearoa New Zealand last month.

The ship received a rousing haka from sailors at Devonport Naval Base as the ship berthed alongside the training jetty on 10 May. Commander Mike Proudman, Commanding Officer of SPEY, was later welcomed with his crew onto Te Taua Moana marae.

SPEY, alongside sister ship HMS TAMAR, is conducting a five-year deployment to the Indo-Pacific, working with friends and partners as part of the UK and Royal Navy’s commitment to the region. The ship also visited Wellington before returning to the Pacific.

Rear Admiral David Proctor, Chief of Navy, was delighted to welcome HMS SPEY to New Zealand, meeting with CDR Proudman at Devonport.

“The Royal Navy’s permanent deployment of patrol vessels to the Indo-Pacific region is testament to the United Kingdom’s support of trade, maritime security, and shared values in this part of the world,” he said.

In a meeting with the Royal Navy’s Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Martin Connell, at IMDEX Asia in Singapore, RADM Proctor noted that a permanent presence by the Royal Navy in the Pacific sends a very clear signal that a rules-based international order was important to defend.

“We look forward to the opportunity of working with the Royal Navy on a broad range of exercises – just as we currently do with our other partner navies in the region.”