User:Susan Tol/Andrew Leachman

Andrew Leachman (6 April 1954 - 16 September 2017) was a New Zealand ocean explorer. He was posthumously awarded the New Zealand Antarctic Medal in 2017.

Biography
Leachman was born in Grimbsy, England in 1954. He moved to New Zealand in 1973 after being recruited by the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Leachman co-captained the NIWA research vessel Tangaroa. Joined the Royal New Zealand Navy as an ice navigation consultant in 2011. helping the RNZN re-establish maritime patrols in Antarctica was acknowledged in June when he was appointed to the position of honorary captain.

posthumously awarded The New Zealand Antarctic Medal in the New Year's honours list. Leachman went from shovelling cod livers in his hometown of Grimsby, England to becoming master on the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries vessel James Cook and the Niwa research vessel Tangaroa eachman joined the Royal New Zealand Navy as an ice navigation consultant.

Leachman coached and mentored Offshore Patrol Vessel command teams through seven successive Southern Ocean patrols. His contribution helped establish and sustain its new Antarctic maritime patrol and response capability.

honorary captain by the RNZN at a ceremony in Nelson.The New Zealand Antarctic Medal was instituted as a New Zealand Royal Honour in 2006, replacing the British Polar Medal.

The medal may be awarded to persons who either individually or as members of a New Zealand programme in the Antarctic region have made an outstanding contribution to exploration, scientific research, conservation, environmental protection, or knowledge of the Antarctic region".

He travelled to Bergen, Norway to pick up the $27 million state-of-the-art ship in 1991, when the 70m, 2282 tonne RV Tangaroa replaced the ageing James Cook as New Zealand's premier fisheries research vessel.