Ireland starts to build up its defence infrastructure with second-hand vessels. Ireland bought The New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) decommissioned 340t Lake-Class inshore patrol vessels former HMNZS Rotoiti and Pukaki IPVs. Ireland paid $24.5m for two ships, while New Zealand had paid NZ$35.8m per vessel when they were ordered in 2008.
New Zealand deployed the IPVs on fishery monitoring, border security, search and rescue, and maritime surveillance operations around the island’s 15,000km coastline.
NZFD has also announced, “The vessels are being sold for NZ$36 million. A condition of the sale is for work to be undertaken to regenerate and modify the ships to an operational seaworthiness standard. This work will cost about NZ$16-$19 million and be carried out in New Zealand commercial shipyards.”
