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Heavy weather sailing protocols have been set up to ensure passenger comfort after the Aratere rolled heavily in Cook Strait last year, ferry operator Interislander says.
"Sailings will be suspended where the significant wave height reaches or is forecast to reach 6m," Interislander group general manager Seamus O'Sullivan said.
"There are also strict criteria governing the conveyance of passengers in between the 5m and 6m thresholds.
"In all cases this criteria is based upon passenger comfort only, as ship, cargo or passenger safety will never be compromised."
Two investigations released yesterday found the Aratere was not in serious danger when it twice rolled heavily in Cook Strait, causing minor injuries to four passengers and a crew member.
Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) and Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) findings ran counter to an MNZ draft report, which said the Aratere was close to sinking in the March 2006 incident, with the potential loss of many lives.
The ferry hit heavy waves and rolled unexpectedly and heavily to starboard soon after leaving Wellington on an afternoon crossing on March 3 last year. It then lurched suddenly to port.
Thirty minutes later, it again rolled heavily to starboard and sheared to port.
In addition to the injuries, several rail wagons fell over when the ship rolled. The normal three-hour crossing took 7 1/2 hours.
Mr O'Sullivan said while there was no safety issue going to sea in heavy weather, "passenger comfort does need to be taken into consideration".
Some passengers willingly accepted the possible discomfort, when the option was leaving them stranded at the terminals.
"While there have always been strong systems in place it is important for the public to know what protocols now exist."
Additional lashings were now attached to all rail and heavy road cargo once the significant wave height was expected to reach 4m.
Weather and ship performance was closely monitored by senior operational management, on board and ashore, until such conditions abated.
The captain has full discretion to suspend or change the status of the sailing, even when the wave height was less than the maximum outlined in the protocol.
Captains could take in other contributing factors, such as extreme winds or tides that may make the journey less comfortable than otherwise expected.
"Cook Strait being what it is, there are going to be times when travellers don't travel in idyllic, calm waters," Mr O'Sullivan said.
"However, it is important that the public have full confidence in our operation and have all the information they also need when making their decision to travel."
MNZ found fault with the night master in charge of the crossing. It said he should have reduced speed after the first roll and it criticised the course he took immediately after.
In April last year, it imposed conditions on his master certificate of competency, prohibiting him from commanding a commercial passenger ship. They remained in force while he completed retraining and testing and were lifted in September.
Neither MNZ nor TAIC released the name of the night master.
TAIC said that although the available evidence showed the safety of the ship was unlikely to have been compromised, "the suddenness and extent of each of the rolls were uncomfortable for all on board, frightening for some and injurious for a few".
TAIC found that the day master, who had control of the ferry when it left Wellington, had made a reasonable decision to start the crossing, based on the information available and his own experience.
Conditions then deteriorated more rapidly than forecast.
- NZPA
