Keith Andrews has delivered one of its first Fuso 4X4 Canter 716 Crew Cabs to the Royal New Zealand Coastguard’s Waiuku unit.
The truck will assist the search and rescue volunteers in their mission to keep our waters safe in the Manukau Harbour, Tasman Sea, Port Waikato River Bar, and Huntly.
It’s part of a partnership announced last year between Keith Andrews, Fuso and Coastguard NZ.
Lotto NZ also funded a donation of 22 high-performance America’s Cup chase boats to the rescue organisation.
The new boats are powered by a 450hp engine and able to reach speeds up to 80km/h and help the volunteer rescue crews head out with greater confidence to save lives in the toughest conditions.
Coastguard NZ head of operations Rob McCaw says the vessels required new fit-for-purpose tow vehicles that could also carry a crew of up to five volunteers.
“What we have selected here is not just a batch of trucks, it is a rescue partner for the future.
“The trucks themselves form a complete rescue system with the boats they are towing and a full crew on board. Our intention is to standardise these units across the country as the time comes to retire older vehicles.
“Canter meets all of our requirements as a tow and rescue vehicle. The 4WD capability, with lockable front hubs and rear limited slip diff, will enable our crews to deploy across a range of terrain and conditions on lake edges and rocky shorelines,” McCaw says.
