available . ▁The ▁review ▁concluded ▁that ▁the ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁a ▁mid - size ▁roll - on / roll - off ▁vessel ▁for ▁use ▁as ▁a ▁military ▁se al ift ▁ship ▁should ▁be ▁prior it ised ; ▁a ▁Mer c and ian ▁ 1 5 0 0 - type ▁vessel , ▁capable ▁of ▁transport ing ▁ 5 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁R R F ' s ▁vehicles ▁and ▁equipment , ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁the ▁minimum ▁standard , ▁although ▁a ▁larger ▁vessel ▁like ▁Union ▁Rot or ua , ▁almost ▁able ▁to ▁deploy ▁the ▁entire ▁R R F , ▁was ▁preferred . ▁ ▁Union ▁Rot or ua ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁ship ▁considered ▁for ▁ac quisition , ▁with ▁ins pection ▁beginning ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁but ▁after ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Def ence ▁Force ▁began ▁to ▁look ▁at ▁other ▁vessels ▁in ▁mid - 1 9 9 2 , ▁Union ▁Rot or ua ▁was ▁dropped ▁from ▁cont ention . ▁In ▁research ing ▁New ▁Zealand ▁defence ▁ac quis itions , ▁Peter ▁Gre ener ▁claims ▁he ▁can ▁find ▁no ▁clear ▁reason ▁for ▁Union ▁Rot or ua ▁to ▁be ▁dropped , ▁but ▁ident ifies ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁ship , ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁by ▁far ▁the ▁largest ▁vessel ▁ever ▁operated ▁by ▁the ▁R N Z N , ▁and ▁the ▁gas - t urb ine ▁prop ulsion ▁system , ▁which ▁was ▁due ▁for ▁over ha ul , ▁as ▁factors . ▁Sh ip bro king ▁company ▁R ugg ▁and ▁Co ▁was ▁contract ed ▁in ▁July ▁ 1