Aratere To Retire As New Zealand’s New Ferries Project Gets Underway

Interislander’s rail-enabled ferry, Aratere, will be retired to make way for the port re-development needed in Picton to prepare for the two brand-new ferries arriving in 2029, KiwiRail Chief Executive Peter Reidy says.

“KiwiRail is committed to fully supporting the smooth and successful introduction of the two new ferries, and their required infrastructure, while maintaining safe and reliable freight and passenger services for our customers.

“We have been advised that work on demolishing Aratere’s decaying wharf in Picton could begin later this year or early next year.

Aratere requires specific loading and unloading infrastructure so it cannot use the other Interislander wharf in Picton. Building a temporary berth for Aratere would be too expensive in a project where tight cost control is a priority, and risks delaying the necessary infrastructure work in Picton.

“Therefore, Aratere will be retired this year, and we will work through the detail of that decision - firstly with our own people, especially our Interislander crews. A ship is a special workplace and for some of our people, Aratere is a home away from home. The ship has been a workhorse of Interislander, giving huge service to freight customers and passengers alike since it entered service on Cook Strait in 1999,” Mr Reidy says.

“Moving from three ships to two will mean the loss of some roles but the exact number will depend on the outcome of a consultation process that we will run with our people across Interislander.

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“We will also be talking to customers and other parties about operational arrangements for the transition period to new ships. This will include developing a workable ship maintenance programme once we move to two ferries, and de-risking impacts for the Cook Strait market for the four-year transition until the brand new, larger, rail-enabled ferries arrive. We are committed to continuing to run a safe and reliable service for passengers and freight throughout that period using Interislander’s remaining two ships, Kaitaki and Kaiārahi.”

“Aratere is currently due to leave Wellington in late June to go to dry dock in Singapore but we are reviewing that plan as part of the bigger piece of planning now in front of us. We will work quickly to give our people, passengers and freight customers certainty as soon as possible.

Although Aratere is currently Interislander’s only rail-enabled ferry, KiwiRail already carries rail freight on Kaitaki and Kaiārahi using an effective road bridging process.

“Until the new ships arrive, we will continue to move rail freight using road-bridging, but we will invest to super-charge this operation to ensure that all rail freight will be serviced at the levels our rail freight customers need and expect,” Mr Reidy says.

“We are well advanced in planning for a two-ship road-bridged ferry service and we will be consulting with the freight market throughout May on operational arrangements to ensure that we have those plans right.

“KiwiRail has always understood new port infrastructure would be needed to serve the new ferries, and we will work hard to support our people, our customers and the public through the transition.

“Ultimately, it is about delivering a new Interislander fleet which will be good for New Zealand’s freight market, and good for domestic and overseas visitors crossing Cook Strait on New Zealand’s premium inter-island ferry service.”

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