The South Korean-built naval tanker will be "ice-strengthened" and "winterised".

A new naval tanker has cost taxpayers almost $500 million but won't get here until 2020.

The Government has approved the purchase of the ship which will be "ice-strengthened" and "winterised" for operations in Antarctica.

Hyundai Heavy Industries, a South Korean company, have been commissioned to build the vessel. The project will cost $493m and was expected to be finished in four years.

Supplied The new Navy vessel will be able to carry helicopters, fuel and bulk goods for New Zealand operations.

The new ship would replace the 30-year-old HMNZS Endeavour tanker, continuing its job of getting fuel to the navy's and other allied ships, as well as fuel and fresh water to land operations.

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Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee said the new tanker was "significantly larger" and would be able to refuel two ships at the same time.

It would be able to carry and refuel helicopters and transport bulk goods.

"The Government has also opted to include ice-strengthening and winterisation features, representing a very useful enhanced capability when compared to the current tanker," Brownlee said.



"This will allow it to deliver fuel and other goods to support Scott Base and McMurdo Station, during summer months once an icebreaker has cleared a path.



"It will increase New Zealand's contribution and help further demonstrate our long-term commitment to the Antarctic Joint Logistics Pool with the United States."

Labour's defence spokesperson Phil Goff said you might "flinch" at the cost, but a safer, more versatile tanker was definitely needed.

"It's been on the long-term plan for the Defence Force for a long time and the Endeavour, the current one, has absolutely reached the end of its useful life."

However, he pointed out in the early 2000's the Labour Government had paid $500m for a multi-role vessel, two offshore patrol vessels and four in-shore patrol vessels.

"We got a fleet of seven ships for the same price as we're paying for one."

The new tanker is part of the Governments $20 billion investment plan in defence force capability announced last month.

Investment would see the military establish a new cyber support capability, bolster intelligence units and digitise the army on the battlefield, giving it network enabled navigation and communications systems.

The Government would also replace New Zealand's aging fleet of Boeing 757s, C-130 Hercules and surveillance aircraft, the Orions.