Business leaders want the government to hurry up and decide future transport arrangements for Cook Strait but fear Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee is diverted by the Christchurch rebuild.
The government is looking at building a new sea freight ferry terminal at Clifford Bay, south of Seddon, and it has some important decisions to make about ferries.
A new sea freight terminal at Clifford Bay could reduce ferry crossing-times by half an hour and cut the travel time to Christchurch by 50 minutes for road and 80 minutes for rail.
It would be a huge boost to the South Island economy but would cost in excess of $300 million.
Mainfreight managing director Don Braid said his company had committed to rail "by putting ourselves on rail land in Wellington", but services between Wellington and Christchurch were disappointing and better timing was needed.