A United States Coastguard ship has moored in Wellington as part of a mission to enhance security relationships with nations in the south Pacific. Video / Mark Mitchell
The USCGC Midgett, a national security cutter, arrived in the capital on Monday morning, having sailed through the Pacific over the past month from Hawaii, where it is stationed.
Speaking to New Zealand media on Monday morning, Commanding Officer Captain Matthew Rooney said the ship was in New Zealand “as part of our mission going around through the Southern Ocean”.
Rooney said that involved building security partnerships and relationships “with nation friends and partners”.
“We go and help nations with their security needs. We also want to share ideas and build partnerships. A great example is our three shipmates from the Royal New Zealand Navy that were on board, spending time learning each other’s capabilities and how we operate with each other.”
Captain Jennifer Conklin, who leads the US Coastguard’s operation in Oceania, said the primary challenges in the region were illegal fishing and drug trafficking.
Captain Matthew Rooney in front of the ship berthed at CentrePort, Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
“A lot of the Pacific Island partners, their GDPs rely on the fisheries, the infrastructure that goes along with that,” Conklin said. “Also, we’ve seen an increase in trans-criminal organisations, so the drug networks, the drug trafficking going through the Pacific Islands.”
She said part of the ship’s crew’s role was building security networks to share information and deter criminal activity.
There has been a greater interest in the Indo-Pacific recently from the likes of the United States and the United Kingdom, particularly as those countries seek to counter the growing influence and assertiveness of China in the region.
The United States Coast Guard Cutter Midgett berthed at CentrePort, Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Rooney said it was critical for the “safety and security of the world” to have a “wide open and prosperous Indo-Pacific”, but he said it was beyond the scope of his role to say whether there was an elevated risk of a potential conflict with China in the region.
He said the ship was “very compatible with partners” in terms of equipment and having New Zealand personnel on board helped “fine-tune” that.
Crew members loading produce on to the United States Coast Guard Cutter Midgett. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Rooney said it wasn’t for him to say where New Zealand should invest to better their relationship, but the two countries already “integrate well together”.
“I think just making sure that our bonds stay strong and we’re able to work together during times of need and getting ready for those events is what’s important.”
Named after the Midgett family, many members of whom have served in the Coastguard, the ship is roughly 127m long, has a top speed of 28 knots and is capable of “executing the most challenging national security missions”. There were about 150 personnel on board when it arrived in New Zealand.
In 2021, the ship joined the US Navy in countering a Russian naval operation in the vicinity of Hawaii’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). It deployed unmanned aerial craft to support the US response.
Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub Press Gallery office.
