Navy lines up HMNZS Canterbury for Anzac Day visit to Hawke's Bay

The HMNZS Canterbury is set to be part of the Bay's Anzac Day commemorations. Photo / File

The Royal New Zealand Navy's largest ship, HMNZS Canterbury, is scheduled to make a historic visit to Hawke's Bay next month as it will coincide with Anzac Day 100 years after the last year of World War I."To get a big ship like that here for Anzac Day is a real coup — every port around New Zealand would love to have a ship that size arrive for what will be a very special time," Hawke's Bay regional naval officer Lieutenant Commander Neville Smith said.

On the Napier Port arrivals schedule it is set to tie up at 9am on April 24 and to depart on the 27th, although at this stage it is still to be officially confirmed by the Navy.

"It will be great to have them here," Mr Smith said.

The 9000-tonne Canterbury, which was commissioned in 2017 as the Navy's Protector class military sealift vessel, carries a core crew of 78.

As a transport, supply and personnel carrier it can, when required, carry 336 people.

In April 2012 the ship arrived in Napier carrying a large force of United States troops and vehicles who worked in with New Zealand troops as part of Exercise Alam Alpha.

The ship's primary mission when on active service is to deploy personnel, vehicles and cargo either by using conventional port facilities or directly ship-to-shore using its two landing craft, boats or helicopter airlift.

Mr Smith said members of the crew would attend a series of Anzac Day services across Hawke's Bay.

He said it was a "very significant Anzac Day", falling a century after the dying months of WWI.

It would also be the 75th anniversary of what many historians regard as the turning point of World War II when German forces surrendered after the Battle of Stalingrad.

It signalled the end of the German advance into the USSR, with the German leadership and the population of occupied Europe realising Adolf Hitler's Third Reich had gone on to the defensive.

It would also be 50 years since the New Zealand forces in the Vietnam War were at their peak of 548 personnel in 1968.

The arrival of the Canterbury will be the second Navy visit to the Bay this year.

The HMNZS Hawea called in to represent the Navy for the Tremains Art Deco Festival in February, although its planned festival companion, HMNZS Otago, was called away at the last minute to provide aid assistance crews after Cyclone Gita hit Tonga.