c and ia ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁for ▁N Z $ 1 4 . 1 5 ▁million ▁or ▁ 5 5 ▁million ▁Dan ish ▁K ron or . R os am ond ▁& ▁Scott , ▁Can ter bury ▁T ales ▁She ▁was ▁sa iled ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand ▁with ▁a ▁cargo ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁New ▁Zealand - flag ged ▁merchant ▁vessel ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁Se al ift ▁to ▁offset ▁costs , ▁arrived ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁and ▁was ▁commission ed ▁into ▁the ▁R N Z N ▁as ▁H M Z NS ▁Charles ▁U ph am ▁( named ▁after ▁dual ▁Victoria ▁Cross ▁winner ▁Charles ▁U ph am ) ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁Before ▁entering ▁oper ational ▁service , ▁she ▁was ▁fitted ▁with ▁naval ▁communic ations ▁equipment , ▁along ▁with ▁four ▁ ▁machine ▁guns ▁and ▁two ▁SR BO C ▁Mark ▁ 3 6 ▁launch ers ▁for ▁self - def ence , ▁and ▁increased ▁accommod ation ▁facilities . Gre ener , ▁Tim ing ▁is ▁Everything , ▁p . ▁ 6 9 ▁In ▁military ▁service , ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁company ▁consisted ▁of ▁ 8 ▁officers ▁and ▁ 2 4 ▁sail ors . ▁ ▁R N Z N ▁career ▁During ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁Charles ▁U ph am ▁made ▁two ▁oper ational ▁voy ages ▁to ▁test ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁capabilities . ▁The ▁first ▁was ▁between ▁Nap ier ▁and ▁Ly tt el ton , ▁then ▁on