Renewal Plans for New Zealand Operator

Renewal Plans for New Zealand Operator

KiwiRail, owners of the Interislander ferry operation between Wellington and Picton, has announced significant plans for the future. The top priority is to lengthen the ARATERE by 30 metres. Spurring the plans is the project to build a new port at Clifford Bay on the South Island which would cut 20 minutes off the sailing and 50 minutes off the driving time.

The plan to stretch ARETERE is expected to have been completed by July 2011, adding another 120 m of rail capacity. For the KAITAKI, which is on charter from Stena RoRo, there are plans to add rails. The 25-year old ARAHURA is due for replacement and KiwiRail hopes to do so before 2015. Buying or leasing is an option, however, the number of rail ferries in the world is quite limited.

The company is losing foot passengers to the low cost airlines and is, therefore, focusing more on the rail and vehicle capacity. "The ferries have to be rail capable", says Thomas Davis, General Manager at Interislander. KAITAKI does not have rail capacity and her current charter contract expires in three years. One option is to extend the charter or purchase the vessel in order to justify an investment in rails. As she does not fit into the current rail berths, the question about a new South Island port has been re-activated. A new terminal in Wellington is also on the agenda.