Hockey Australia has announced a partnership with cruise company, Holland America Line, making them the official cruise line and partner of the governing body, as well as a major supporting partner of the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos.

The deal will see the company’s branding appear on the side panels of both teams’ jerseys, while Holland America Line will give the Australian hockey community exclusive offers and experiences on board two ships, the Westerdam and Noordam, which are based in Australia from March to November.

Commenting on the partnership, Hockey Australia CEO, David Pryles, said: “Similarly to Holland America Line, hockey in Australia has a proud and successful history built on excellence.”

“We are delighted to welcome Holland America Line into our suite of corporate partners and to have them aligned with our iconic national teams.

“The Kookaburras and Hockeyroos travel to many parts of the world to compete, and with hockey being such a popular global sport, we look forward to helping grow the awareness of Holland America Line and its range of destinations and international routes,” he said.

Holland America Line vice president of sales and marketing, Ryan Taibel, added: “We are extremely proud of our rich Dutch history at Holland America Line which began 150 years ago.”

“Our partnership with the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos is a further extension of this, with hockey being one of the most competitive and widely played games in the Netherlands.

“At Holland America Line, we are excited to partner with these elite hockey teams and athletes and support them as they compete across the globe flying the Australian flag.

“We look forward to sharing in their ongoing successes as they help us in raising awareness for Holland America Line as one of the world’s great cruise companies,” he said.

The announcement comes after Hockey Australia’s 2022 council meeting, where they added two new board members.