Navy Today July 08 | Issue 134 - Royal New Zealand Navy

FLEET PROGRESSN A V A L S U P P O R T F O R C EDIVING & MCM FORCEH Y D R O G R A P H I C S U R V E Y F O R C ECargo handling after the helodelivery onto Raoul Island –2nd from l, CPL Simon Haughey,a DOC staffer with LT GeraldBradfield & ACH Simon BehlPHOTO: MC 08-0157-02RESOLUTION SUCESSFULLY PILOTS ON-BOARDFollowing Exercise CROIX DU SUD (NT 132, May] CANTERBURY resuppliedNZ’s northern-most island on 18 April. Bas Bolyn of DPRU was there…THE THREE SERVICES and a government 5-6 month periods (mainly focused on weedagency pitched in for a common goal when eradication; the island is a Nature Reserve).CANTERBURY offloaded fuel and supplies for They also provide daily meteorological readings,the Department of Conservation on Raoul Island.On the way to Exercise CROIX DU SUD, northern-most territory.and are the official presence on New Zealand’sCANTERBURY off-loaded 34 tonnes of fuel CANTERBURY’s CO, CDR Tony Millar, saidand supplies.the Raoul Island operation helped DOC butFifteen sailors remained on the island to assist also honed the ship’s capability: “The Navy isDOC staff, until April 18, when the CANTER- committed to supporting government agenciesBURY returned to pick them up after Exercise and we were happy to provide the DOC withCROIX DU SUD.assistance for this re-supply,” CDR Millar said.Some 17,000 litres of diesel were ferried “Activities like this enhance the ongoing interoperabilityand cooperation between our Navy andashore on 18 April, to fuel the island’s electricitygenerator for the coming year. Airlifted by related Government departments.”the ship’s Seasprite helicopter, the fuel drums DOC manager Tim Brandenburg said thewere unloaded on the island by DoC staff, our operation provided the first opportunity for himsailors and the Ship’s Amphibious Lift Team. As as the Island’s new Area Manager (he is basedwell as diesel, AVCAT aviation fuel was topped in Warkworth) to visit the island. “The island’sup – this is stored on the island for potential remote location over one thousand km from NZemergency helicopter operations, enabling the is a huge logistical challenge for us. This trippotential evacuation of staff from this remote we were able to bring much-needed supplies,volcanic island.technical personnel and scientists to undertakeEleven staff are currently based at Raoul - five essential work on the island. The importancepermanent DOC personnel on annual rotations of the NZDF in helping us maintain this remoteand six volunteers who work on the island for base cannot be overstated.”SOME RAOULISLAND FACTS:• Many families including the Bellfamily tried to establish farming onRaoul since the mid 19th Century.• The Met Service continued farmingon the island up until 35 years ago.The weather station is now managedby DOC staff on the island.• All the islands in the KermadecGroup have been cleared of animalpests including goats, cats and rats.This has enabled birdlife to returnincluding the Kermadec Parakeet andmany species of seabirds.• The biodiversity programme iscontinuing with an intensive weederadication programme to facilitatethe restoration of the islands uniquebiodiversity.• The Kermadecs are surroundedby a huge marine reserve out to 12nautical miles, the largest marinereserve in NZ.• The Kermadec Ridge is an activevolcanic arc running from WhiteIsland in the Bay of Plenty to Tonga.• Raoul Island is one of NZ’s mostactive volcanoes, having recenteruptions in 1814, 1870, 1886, 1964and 2006.BY NERENA RHODESSENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER - AUCKLANDJOINT LOGISTICS AND SUPPORT ORGANISATIONRESOLUTION IS THE FIRST RNZN vesselto successfully implement recycling. Pilotinga programme which could be used by otherRNZN vessels, RESOLUTION has been recyclingpaper, plastic, glass and metal on-boardsince last January. The pilot programme hasbeen very effective. Executive Officer LTCDRPhilip Rowe estimates the recycling schemehas reduced the ship’s ‘waste to landfill’ byapproximately 84% and would recommendthat our other ships begin recycling.Recycling reduces the amount of waste sentto landfills which extends the life of the landfillsand reduces the need to create more landfillsin the future. Recycling also means that weare using our resources more sustainably andsensibly, with less need to take more resourcesfrom the earth.In an average period at sea RESOLUTIONwould produce approximately 600 litres ofwaste. Since recycling began on-board this hasreduced to approximately 100 litres of waste forthe same period - an impressive reduction. TheXO reports “On an average day at sea, beforerecycling, we were producing 5-6 black bags aday. That has now reduced to one - our normalperiod at sea is 10 days; that ’s 60 bags nowreduced to 10.”Recycling makes good business sense asit has significantly reduced the cost of wastedisposal for RESOLUTION, since recycling iscollected for free. The scheme has been provenin Gisborne and Wellington as well as at DNB,and will be progressively introduced to theother ports which RESOLUTION visits.Personnel dispose of recyclables in thededicated recycling wheelie bins, or into therecycling station in the Junior Ratings’ Mess.The wheelie bins are then taken ashore forcollection by the recycling contractors whenthe ship returns to port. There are eight recyclingbins distributed throughout the ship. ButMID Kurt Matthews demonstrateshow easy recycling isis it an inconvenience for our people? The XOresponded:“It is not so much of an inconvenience moreof a change of thinking. The bins are situatedthroughout the ship so you pass them on adaily basis. There was no particular resistanceto the initiative – just our typical mind set – ittook a few weeks of me opening up black bagsand checking before the ship’s company gotthe point!”The recycling initiative helps NZDF meetits obligations under the Govt3 sustainabilityprogramme to which the NZDF, through theMinister of Defence, is a signatory. The Govt3programme aims to improve the sustainabilityof government practices, focusing on a numberof areas including waste minimisation.RESOLUTION is now a great example of sustainablebusiness and environmental practicesin action.For more information please contact Propertyand Contracts Officer Mark Packington-Hall ormyself, Senior Environmental Officer NerenaRhodes (DTelN: 397 7273)WN 08-0022-2528 NT134JULY08WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZWWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT134JULY08 29