One of seven vessels contracted to be built under the navy's $500 million Project Protector, Otago, and her sister ship Wellington, have yet to be commissioned by the navy into operational service.
The 85m patrol vessel, which was originally scheduled to visit her home port of Dunedin at the end of 2007, would arrive "towards the end of the year", R-adm Parr said yesterday.
Otago would be commissioned in Dunedin and the occasion was likely to be marked by a parade through the city, he said.
The four inshore patrol vessels of Project Protector - Rotoitoi, Hawea, Pukaki and Taupo - were proving to be excellent additions to the fleet, as was the multi-role vessel Canterbury , R-adm Parr said.
"We are very pleased with them."
Appointed Chief of the Navy in April, the 53-year-old said he was looking forward to his new role, and the latest additions to the fleet would help the navy continue its "constabulary" function.
The newer, faster fleet would be better suited to patrolling New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone - the fourth largest in the world - maintain a visible presence in the South Pacific and protect shipping lanes, he said.
R-adm Parr said the navy had changed greatly since he joined, at the age of 24, and had evolved from being a "boys' club" to becoming more representative of New Zealand society.
Despite being a modern fleet, the navy was still "10% short" in terms of staffing and required an extra 200 recruits, he said.
"It is a great job. I would go back and do it all again."
