Saturday, 7 February 2026, 3:54 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Defence Force
Royal
New Zealand Navy vessel HMNZS Canterbury is on its first
South West Pacific maritime operation for 2026, Operation
Calypso, which includes a visit to Tokelau /
Supplied
Royal New Zealand Navy
(RNZN) multi-role vessel HMNZS Canterbury will arrive into
Samoa this weekend for a fuel stop as the ship begins its
first South West Pacific maritime operation for 2026,
Operation Calypso.
The deployment includes a visit to
Tokelau, a realm nation which was last visited by an RNZN
ship in 2020.
Making the journey on Canterbury to the
atolls of Atafu, Nukunono and Fakaofo will be the
Governor-General of New Zealand Dame Cindy Kiro and her
husband Dr Richard Davies, reaffirming the special bonds
between the two nations as they mark the centenary of New
Zealand administration of Tokelau on 11 February.
Also
travelling to Tokelau will be personnel from various New
Zealand Government agencies.
Weather agency MetService
received a request from Tokelau government agencies for
observer training and will be conducting a needs assessment
as well as servicing the Automatic Weather Station on
Nukunonu.
One New Zealand Police officer will take the
opportunity to meet with the Tokelau Chief of Police and
other officials, and an officer from the Tokelauan National
Disaster Management Office will also be on Canterbury to
transit between the atolls.
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Once the mission in
Tokelau has concluded, Canterbury will return to Apia to
disembark some passengers before returning to New Zealand
via Raoul Island.
On Raoul Island, Royal New Zealand
Air Force NH90 helicopters and flight crew who are on board
Canterbury, along with New Zealand Army personnel and the
ship’s company, will assist MetService and Earth Sciences
New Zealand personnel to carry out upgrade and maintenance
tasks of critical weather, tsunami and volcano monitoring
equipment and facilities.
Commander Joint Forces New
Zealand, Major General Rob Krushka, says the Pacific mission
Operation Calypso highlights the capability of the New
Zealand Defence Force’s people and
platforms.
“Tokelau and Raoul Island are two
examples of hard to reach places in our region, where
carrying out tasks can be very logistically
challenging.
“We’re pleased to be able to support
the visit of Her Excellency the Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro and
New Zealand government agencies to deliver services and
equipment to these areas through one of our regular South
West Pacific
deployments.”
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