New Zealand to Pay Samoa $6 Million Over Navy Ship Grounding

New Zealand is to compensate the Samoan government with a $6 million (US$3.5 million) payment in addition to assisting with the cleanup after the HMNZS Manawanui ran aground on a reef off the coast of Upolu on the night of Oct. 5, 2024. All 75 onboard were safely evacuated.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the payment was requested by the Samoan government.

“We have responded to the government of Samoa’s request in full and with good faith. We have always said we will do the right thing,” Peters said. “We recognise the impact the sinking has had on local communities and acknowledge the disruption it caused.”

Hundreds of thousands of litres of diesel fuel were estimated to have leaked from the sunken ship, and other debris was dispersed into the water after the Manawanui was steered towards the reef and set on autopilot.

A Court of Inquiry into the sinking attributed the accident to “a series of human errors” in a report released in April, and described a culture that prioritised accomplishing missions over safety. It also noted that “the ship’s key personnel … on the bridge were found to have deficiencies in ship qualifications and platform endorsements.”

The ship caught fire before sinking after it hit the reef at a speed of 11 knots, travelling 365 metres after the initial impact and grounding multiple times along the way.

It took 10 minutes to regain full control of the ship after crew members had worked out how to disengage the autopilot, the Court found.

The surrounding villages were banned from fishing in the area for almost five months, and the incident also had a significant impact on local tourism operators.

Peters says New Zealand continues to work with Samoa on decisions regarding the ship and its future.

“Working with the government of Samoa, our focus continues to be on minimising any possible environmental impacts and supporting the response. These are our absolute priorities,” he said.

The final cost of salvaging the HMNZS Manawanui could have run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, but earlier this year the decision was made to leave it in place.

The cost of replacing it was so high the government decided against it, having spent $103 million to purchase and convert it from a Norwegian oil exploration vessel. Its loss was recorded as a $77 million write-off in the last Budget.

Peters also confirmed that the Defence Force investigation into the incident was “reaching its closing stages” with “any disciplinary proceedings that may arise … yet to be determined.”