HMNZS Hawea sails up Otago Harbour yesterday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
The 55m-long ship, which has a top speed of 24 knots, spent last week at its home port, Westport, before sailing down the West Coast and past Bluff on its way to Dunedin.
Built in New Zealand, Hawea is one of seven new Navy vessels added to the fleet as part of Project Protector.
It is one of four inshore patrol vessels whose main tasks are to patrol New Zealand's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) working with other government agencies, including NZ Police, the Ministry of Fisheries, Customs, the Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, to ensure border and EEZ security.
Hawea will be open to the public between 10am and 3pm on Saturday.
