Canterbury loading up with relief supplies

The Navy multi-role vessel HMNZS Canterbury will sail to Wellington from Lyttelton tomorrow to load up with disaster relief supplies for its namesake province.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said that Canterbury will arrive in Wellington at approximately 6pm on Sunday and after refuelling will embark a wide range of supplies and equipment for the earthquake recovery effort. The cargo list is expected to include:

* a 28,000 litre fuel truck
* 29 4 x 4 vehicles
* six 20’ containers (including four refrigerated)
* eight pallets of water and Telecom equipment
* a front end loader.
* an Army Bailey bridge.

Further items are expected before sailing time at 4am on Monday.

“Canterbury was in Lyttelton when the earthquake struck. Her crew have done a tremendous job there,” Dr Mapp said. “In particular they have provided hundreds of meals to the community. I visited Lyttelton on Thursday and people spoke very highly of the support the ship has provided.

“The same can be said of all Defence Force personnel deployed to help in Canterbury. From the soldiers on the cordon, to the Army engineers who set up a desalination system yesterday, to the round the clock air support that the RNZAF has maintained, the services have done a first-class job.

“There is a long way to go for Canterbury but the Defence Force will be there, doing whatever it can to help,” he said.

HMNZS Otago and HMNZS Pukaki will continue the naval support role in Lyttelton while Canterbury is away.

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