The Royal New Zealand Navy’s largest support vessel, the HMNZS Aotearoa, docked at Manila South Harbor on Friday on a goodwill visit, underscoring Wellington’s commitment to strengthening defense ties with the Philippines.

The port call marks the vessel’s second visit to the Philippines in five years. It comes six months after the signing of the Philippines-New Zealand Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SoVFA).

The landmark deal strengthens their military cooperation and facilitates the entry of each country’s forces in the other’s territory for joint exercises.

Speaking to reporters aboard the Aotearoa, New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Catherine McIntosh described the visit as a reflection of her country’s growing defense sector engagement with Manila.

“This goodwill visit shows how keen and delighted New Zealand is to increase our activities and strengthen our relationship with the defense sector,” McIntosh said.

The Aotearoa first came to the Philippines in 2023, before it joined a multilateral maritime cooperation activity (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea a year later alongside Philippine, Australian, United States and Japanese forces.

With the SoVFA now in place, Aotearoa Commanding Officer Robert Welford expressed optimism about participating in more such activities in the future.

Alliance valued

“We’re open to it, and I think any ships that are operating in this region — be it this ship or other ships in the future — will always be looking for opportunities to work with our allies in the region,” Welford said.

During its Manila stop, the ship’s officers will conduct a series of defense engagements and courtesy calls on their Philippine counterparts until 3 November.

The Aotearoa’s Manila port call follows its recent deployments to Singapore and Vietnam. After departing the Philippines, the vessel will sail to Japan for the next leg of its regional mission.

“I think that tells you how important New Zealand considers the Philippines. The Indo-Pacific, and Southeast and Northeast Asia, are very important to New Zealand,” Welford added.

The commander also underscored the mutual benefits of cooperation with the Philippine Navy, particularly in littoral operations and in archipelagic waters.

“We can learn from the Philippines Navy in areas like operating closer to land and using local knowledge, while we offer training in replenishment at sea and high-value unit exercises,” he said.

Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea and commissioned in July 2020, the Aotearoa has three primary roles: as a replenishment ship providing fuel and supplies to other vessels at sea; as an Antarctic resupply vessel capable of operating in extreme polar conditions; and as a logistics support vessel on humanitarian and disaster relief operations.

A notable example of its humanitarian role was its 2022 response to the volcanic eruption in Tonga, where the ship delivered essential supplies and fresh water.

The ship’s visit highlights New Zealand’s increasing visibility in Indo-Pacific defense cooperation and reinforces the growing strategic partnership between Wellington and Manila amid the evolving regional security dynamics.