The first of New Zealand's offshore patrol vessels, to be commissioned in 2007 as HMNZS Otago, was launched at Williamstown, Melbourne on Saturday 18 November.
The vessel's launch was accompanied by sea shanties, a rousing haka by sailors of the Royal New Zealand Navy, and speeches from dignitaries including Minister of Defence Phil Goff and Dame Silvia Cartwright.
Images from the launch are available at the Project Protector image gallery.
The speech Defence Minister Phil Goff made at the launch can be downloaded here, at Full text of Defence Minister's speech at the HMNZS Otago launch.