KEY POINTS:
Navy representatives from up to 26 countries are expected to meet in Auckland today for the inaugural Senior Sailors Symposium.
The New Zealand Navy, host of the meeting, said the four-day event was the result of "numerous informal discussions over the past few years between the chiefs of navy of many different nations".
Warrant Officer Neil Roberts said they were expecting sailors, mostly from navies which operated around the Pacific, ranging from the United States to Papua New Guinea.
"It's about, I suppose, creating a framework for future workshops and conferences." He said they wanted to make it a regular event.
"It's about how we have all got different ways of doing practically the same thing at sea and it's about how we can learn off each other and share experiences and knowledge."
Invitations were extended to Australia, Bangladesh, Britain, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, United States, United States Coast Guard and Vietnam.
- NZPA
