Expansion Considered in New Zealand and Scotland

Expansion Considered in New Zealand and Scotland

New Zealand
From Voxy

"We are looking at increasing the capacity of the Aratere, in order to handle more passengers, vehicles and rail freight on some critical time gates which are currently capacity constrained," commented Thomas Davis, General Manager for Interislander.

"Aratere features strongly in domestic travel, international tourism and is a key part of New Zealand's rail network. Rail capacity between Auckland and Christchurch is constrained on the Cook Strait with only two rail ferries with limited capacity at key times. Increasing capacity will allow more freight to move by rail on existing trains and ferry sailings improving the productivity of the rail network and removing trucks from the road."

Although options and detailed designs are yet to be finalised, Interislander is currently looking at a 29 metre extension to the ship, currently 150m long. The project would also include a revised bow design to improve the vessel’s efficiency.

Scotland
From Arran Banner

Gordon Ross, Managing Director of privately owned Western Ferries, told the Arran Ferry Committee that the company intends to introduce a completely new ferry service in 2012 between Arran and the mainland. He said that he has a naval architect currently drawing up plans for a new-build vessel. He is looking at a vessel of 70 metres length, carrying 400 passengers and up to 70 cars. The design should be complete in two months when he will come back to another meeting of the ferry committee with an update of his company’s plans.

Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd currently run four small vessels on 20-minute crossings between Gourock and Dunoon. They have operated this unsubsidised service since 1973. Government owned CalMac Ferries runs a competing service.