Mihi whakatau (formal welcome)
Commander Travis Montplaisir & representatives of the USS Howard (DDG-83) are formally welcomed to Wellington with a mihi whakatau at NZ Defence House.
Commander Travis Montplaisir & representatives of the #USSHoward (DDG-83) are formally welcomed with a mihi whakatau at NZ Defence House.@NZDefenceForce @USPacificFleet @NZNavy pic.twitter.com/DKfjzbH2Vv
— US Embassy NZ 🇺🇸🇳🇿 (@usembassynz) November 26, 2021
WATCH🎬#USSHoward's Commanding Officer, Commander Travis Montplaisir, shares a message following the visit to Wellington. These visits are a sign of the strong defence & security relationship we share. We look forward to the next opportunity to welcome the @USNavy to our shores. pic.twitter.com/FTjfyQcEVl
— NZ Defence Force (@NZDefenceForce) December 1, 2021
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard
Press Release:
Joint U.S. Embassy, NZ Defence Force Media Release.
16 November 2021.
A United States Navy ship is due to visit New Zealand later this month, arriving in Wellington to take part in a range of activities with the New Zealand Defence Force.
Chief of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), Rear Admiral David Proctor, said the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and RNZN were looking forward to the visit. The vessel will berth in Wellington.
“New Zealand and the United States (US) share a strong security and defence relationship, close economic links, and shared interests and values. The NZDF and the US Navy have a long history of engagement and working together; the latest example of which was the interaction by HMNZS Te Kaha and HMNZS Aotearoa with US Navy and other partners’ ships off Guam last month”.
While in New Zealand the ship and her crew will train and interact with the New Zealand Defence Force including taking part in interoperability exercises and official engagements.
“Ship visits like this are a demonstration of the US’ active engagement in our region. They present opportunities for improving interoperability between our forces and building trust and understanding between partners”, said Rear Admiral Proctor.
“NZDF ships and aircraft have also regularly participated in US-hosted exercises such as RIMPAC, and it is nice to be able to return the courtesy and show goodwill as we host a US Navy vessel and her crew here in New Zealand again.”
Further details of the ship and the visit are yet to be released, but the vessel is an Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer, the same class of ship as the USS Sampson, which visited in 2016 for the Royal New Zealand Navy’s 75th Anniversary and International Naval Review.
During that visit the USS Sampson became involved in the response to the Kaikōura earthquake.
“When the US Navy last visited New Zealand, that earthquake had just hit, and the importance of interoperability was underscored in a completely unexpected way. But that’s the reality—tomorrow our navies could well be working together to solve problems that don’t exist today. The friendships and understanding between our sailors and their Kiwi counterparts, matter in everything from crisis response to a routine refuelling at sea,” said US Embassy Defense Attaché, Colonel Ian Murray.

The ship will have at least 14 days isolation at sea prior to entering New Zealand, and prior to disembarkation all crew will have tested negative for COVID-19 and will be fully vaccinated.
A visit by a US Navy ship has been under consideration by the US since last year.
The ship will not be visiting any other New Zealand port besides Wellington.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)!








































Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83)! Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Welcome to Aotearoa USS Howard (DDG-83)
Wreath Laying Ceremony
Commander Travis Montplaisir of the USS Howard (DDG-83) attended a wreath laying ceremony at Pukeahu National War Memorial park in Wellington to honor those from the U.S. & NZ who have served and sacrificed in defense of freedom & peace.







USS Howard Reception










Media/Social Media
Media:
- U.S. warship arrives in Wellington Harbour to conduct exercises with Defence Force – stuff.co.nz.
- Focus: US warship USS Howard arrives in Wellington – NZ Herald.
- USS Howard arrives in New Zealand for port visit.
- Missiles, rockets and torpedoes: A look onboard USS Howard, the US Navy ship docked in Wellington.
- US Navy Destroyer Makes Rare Port Call in New Zealand.
- USS Howard Arrives in New Zealand for Port Visit.
Photo Galleries:
Social Media:
Welcome to Aotearoa #USSHoward (DDG-83), arriving into Wellington this morning. While in NZ the ship & her crew will train and interact with the @NZDefenceForce including taking part in interoperability exercises & official engagements.🇺🇸🇳🇿
Photos/video: https://t.co/pyJnZuK7J8 pic.twitter.com/F39nP6CgzZ
— US Embassy NZ 🇺🇸🇳🇿 (@usembassynz) November 25, 2021
USS Howard reaches the Capital 👋 The @USNavy‘s guided-missile destroyer, #USSHoward, sailed into Wellington accompanied by our @NZNavy‘s ship, #HMNZSTaupo.
This is the first time in 38 years a US Navy vessel has made an official port visit to Wellington.#Force4NZ #NZNavy pic.twitter.com/yVX40wbQym
— NZ Defence Force (@NZDefenceForce) November 25, 2021
Commander Travis Montplaisir & representatives of the #USSHoward (DDG-83) are formally welcomed with a mihi whakatau at NZ Defence House.@NZDefenceForce @USPacificFleet @NZNavy pic.twitter.com/DKfjzbH2Vv
— US Embassy NZ 🇺🇸🇳🇿 (@usembassynz) November 26, 2021
The @USNavy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer #USSHoward (DDG 83) arrived in Wellington, New Zealand, Nov. 26 for a routine port visit.#US7thFleet #NavyPartnerships
Read more here:https://t.co/tPytjdnhpM pic.twitter.com/iXrpx4d3lU
— 7th Fleet (@US7thFleet) November 26, 2021
#NavyPartnerships 🇺🇸 ⚓ 🇳🇿 #USSHoward arrived in Wellington, New Zealand on Nov. 26, for a scheduled port visit, part of a shared commitment toward security and stability across a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific. @US7thFleet
DETAILS: https://t.co/Ym2r7StBYd pic.twitter.com/aAeMthiYaC
— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) November 26, 2021
Seas the day, or an evening in this case. Thank-you to Commander Travis Montplaisir and the crew on board the #USSHoward (DDG-83) for hosting a reception here in Wellington. A true friend-ship 🇺🇸🇳🇿
More on the USS Howard visit to New Zealand: https://t.co/pyJnZuK7J8 pic.twitter.com/pZNSULCCMP
— US Embassy NZ 🇺🇸🇳🇿 (@usembassynz) November 30, 2021
It was great to have USS HOWARD in Wellington over the last week! Really enjoyed my meeting with The CO, Commander Travis Montplaisir and his crew. Fair winds and following seas! @usembassynz #rnzn #USNavy pic.twitter.com/bE3PYiNQLp
— Chief of Navy NZ (@YoursAye_NZ) November 30, 2021