Picton ferry terminal may need to be rebuilt

The port company is expecting to find out today whether or not the Picton ferry building has structural damage. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

Port of Malborough expects to find out today whether the ferry terminal building at Picton is structurally sound, and its chief executive says it might need to be rebuilt.

The port company, which is responsible for commercial port activities within Picton harbour and Shakespeare Bay, is working with KiwiRail to find an alternative site where passengers can board the ferries bound for Wellington.

KiwiRail's Kaitaki and Kaiarahi ferries are now carrying passengers out of Wellington to Picton but people on foot are still unable to be checked in and carried between Picton and Wellington.

KiwiRail said this morning that it was working with Port of Marlborough and had identified an area that is suitable for foot passengers and the parties were investigating how quickly the site could be up and running.

Port of Marlborough chief executive Ian McNabb said he expects the issue to be sorted in a matter of days.

"At the moment there is an issue with the ferry terminal building at Picton, it may not be structually sound," McNabb said.

The port company was expecting to find out today whether or not the building had structural damage.

"My guess at this point is that it's had some significant damage and won't be able to be used," he said.

Asked how long it would likely take for it to be repaired, McNabb said:

"It could possibly be beyond that it might be a rebuild."