New Navy Captain has strong links to Napier
Commander Martin Walker, the new Commanding Officer of Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) ship HMNZS Canterbury, is looking forward to taking the ship to Hawke’s Bay next month.
Commander Walker took command of HMNZS Canterbury in late April and will visit Port Napier twice in June during exercises.
Commander Walker arrived in Napier from the United Kingdom as a youngster and attended Napier Boys’ High School.
“I spent my formative years in Hawke’s Bay and have great memories of Napier,” he said.
After secondary school and a year studying geography at Massey University, he decided to join the Royal New Zealand Navy.
“It sounds a bit of a cliché, but I enjoyed travelling and seeing new places, and I wanted a career that provided variety and excitement,” he said. “I decided the Navy was a good way to achieve that.”
He said it was fantastic to be back at sea after the past 15 years based in Wellington in various positions for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), at Joint Headquarters and in Capability Branch.
While Commander Walker has previously commanded inshore patrol vessels such as HMNZS Kahu, now decommissioned, the HMNZS Canterbury is on a different scale.
The RNZN support ship is a 9000-tonne, 131-metre multi-role vessel that provides the NZDF with the ability to transport personnel, vehicles, and supplies around New Zealand and overseas.
Highlights from Commander Walker’s previous deployments include two postings as Ship’s Executive Officer, on HMNZS Manawanui and HMNZS Endeavour. A five-month deployment to Asia on HMNZS Endeavour included port visits in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Australia, while he also visited Singapore with HMNZS Manawanui while taking part in exercises there.
“Earlier, as Officer in Charge of HMNZS Kahu, I got to support the 2003 America’s Cup in Auckland. It was quite an experience for us, sailing out every day in the Hauraki Gulf with the race yachts and supporting the police during the Cup.”
While the RNZN’s frigates are being upgraded, HMNZS Canterbury is its primary sea-training platform.
“This new role is challenging, but is a challenge that we are happy to accept,” Commander Walker said. “Canterbury is providing additional sea training while our combat force is away, training not only our own ship’s company but also sailors for positions on the frigates and on our new ships.
“At the same time, we need to be prepared to respond to any events — such as a national disaster, which is a key role for this ship. Sea training and maintaining preparedness are our priorities there and that includes amphibious operations.”
HMNZS Canterbury would be in Napier in late June and early July with an NH90 helicopter on board, he said.
“We will be loading and delivering army units to Australia for Exercise Talisman Sabre, utilising the ship’s ability to conduct sea lift operations.”
