Defence Minister Dr Wayne Mapp confirmed this week selling the problem-dogged ships, built as part of the $500 million defence acquisition project Protector, was not an option, and any operational capability issues with the ships would just have to be "carefully managed".
"I simply cannot envisage selling them. There is a real willingness on both sides [the Government and builder] to get them into action."
The only ship of the seven in the project delivered so far is HMNZS Canterbury, which has been plagued with problems and needs another $20 million spent on it.
As a result of the issues with Canterbury, the Royal New Zealand Navy has refused to accept delivery of the remaining six vessels - the two offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) Otago and Wellington ($90 million each) and four inshore patrol vessels (total cost $143 million) - until the health and safety issues preventing them getting a warranty are appropriately fixed.
The OPVs also face a weight problem.
They are understood to be about 100 tonnes overweight, which will affect their operational capability, including their ability to sail in Antarctic waters.
Dr Mapp conceded that when the OPVs arrived, they would, like Canterbury, be operational, but with limitations.
While the weight issue would not affect the immediate deployment of the ships after acceptance, it could become problematic in the mid to long term, as weight was added to the vessels, he said.
"Normally, they can just add whatever they like to these ships, but with these ones, loads will have to be managed very carefully. There are usually [weight] margins to play with, but with these ships that margin is less."
The option of altering the ships to reduce their weight was examined and not considered possible, he said.
Instead, the Government is negotiating with the builder over contract breaches, which are believed to include the timing and weight issues.
Dr Mapp has previously said "the bulk" of the bill for the ships has already been paid and confirmed seeking compensation from the builder, BAE Systems, was an option.
The New Zealand Herald reported last week that advice to the incoming minister was that personnel shortages were affecting morale and causing personnel to leave the navy, as well as limiting the availability of the ships the navy does have.
Dr Mapp indicated contractual deadlines were in place, but he would not elaborate on them.
The delivery date for the ships remains officially "unclear".
The Government would not rush the negotiation process at the expense of health and safety, but he wanted the ships here as soon as possible, he said.
Former chief of naval staff retired Rear Admiral Jack Welch, who also represented a ship building company that entered a failed tender for the Project Protector contract, said the delays and mistakes with the project were "heart-breaking" for sailors and he understood some "people are getting very cross".
If reports were correct that the OPVs were 100 tonnes overweight, it was inexplicable how such a mistake could have been made.
"That's about 8% of [the ship's] gross weight, which is huge in the context of making an error . . .It's inexcusable and I find it unbelievable."
