Interislander’s Aratere ferry cleared to sail again after grounding

The Aratere left Picton at 9.45pm on June 21 before suffering a reported steering failure and running aground shortly afterwards. Photo / Tim Cuff

Maritime NZ has lifted its detention notice on Interislander’s Aratere ferry, allowing it to return to service after it ran aground.

The regulator has also addressed suggestions by NZ First about what went wrong with the ferry, saying the grounding was not caused by “a crew member leaving the bridge to make a coffee”.

Meanwhile, a lawyer engaged by a maritime union has dubbed the situation “Nescafé-gate”.

The Aratere left Picton at 9.45pm on June 21 before suffering a reported steering failure and running aground shortly after. It is berthed at Waimahara Wharf in Picton and was put under a detention order.

Maritime NZ director Kirstie Hewlett said the regulator has inspected the ship and gathered more information over the past two weeks.

“Earlier this week, we inspected the vessel, and observed it undertake several tests while at berth involving systems, processes and equipment. Off the back of these tests we have now lifted the detention notice, but imposed conditions on the operation of the vessel.”

This means the Aratere will gradually return to service.

“Initially, the conditions will allow crew and rail freight only [four return sailings], then trucks and their drivers, followed by a limited passenger service, and then full capacity sailings to be permitted,” Maritime NZ said in a statement.

“The full return to service is subject to KiwiRail demonstrating it has implemented its return to service plan, and no further issues have been identified.”

Interislander executive general manager Duncan Roy said KiwiRail hoped to sail the vessel from Picton to Wellington tomorrow.

The Aratere ferry suffered a reported steering failure before running aground.

NZ First, a coalition Government party, posed an “extraordinary” question on X yesterday about what might have caused the grounding.

“Is it true that the Aratere ran aground when someone put the autopilot on, went for a coffee, and then couldn’t turn the autopilot off in time when that someone came back...?”, the party posted.

Maritime NZ said its investigation would take several months and was focused on exploring a broad range of factors.

“However, while the cause of the grounding is yet to be formally determined, Maritime NZ’s preliminary enquiries have found that the incident was not due to a crew member leaving the bridge to make a coffee.”

KiwiRail has also said the “regulated number of qualified people” were on the ship’s bridge on the night of the grounding.

Maritime lawyer Troy Stade, engaged by the New Zealand Merchant Service Guild union, told Newstalk ZB Drive host Heather du Plessis-Allan that the post by NZ First and Peters’ comments were “quite frankly unhelpful”.

“It astounds me that the acting Prime Minister would raise an unsubstantiated rumour and conjecture in the middle of an active investigation.

“No crew went out. Nescafé-gate, if you want to call it, is little more than unsubstantiated rumour.”

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said NZ First’s claim was a “serious allegation” and indicated Peters was not holding himself to his own standards.

“Winston Peters is the first to lambast anyone who makes an allegation that might in any way negatively reflect on him and demand that they front up immediately with the proof,” Hipkins told the Herald.

“New Zealand First has made a pretty big allegation here and they should front up with their evidence.”

Peters has refused to comment to several media organisations, including the Herald, about what evidence his party had to support the allegation and whether it had informed investigators.

Peters, who is currently the acting Prime Minister while Christopher Luxon is in the United States, did appear on The Country radio show earlier today and was asked by host Jamie Mackay where the rumour had started.

Peters said he saw NZ First’s social media post, which he said was not his post, and then read KiwiRail’s response to it in the Herald’s story.

“I thought crikey, that’s not a denial. That’s somebody who’s talking about an inquiry. Why would you need an inquiry four weeks later into something as simple as that? This is not complicated.”

Peters said he was going to find out more about it.

Mackay suggested to Peters that nothing happened at NZ First without his authority. Peters said the party has a team of people.

Maritime NZ inspectors will now undertake a focused audit of the Interislander fleet in the coming weeks.

This will look at Interislander’s processes, procedures, training, and risk management and how it brings on new equipment and familiarises its personnel.

“Maritime NZ’s inspections and audits are a reflection of a point in time, and the operator, KiwiRail has the primary responsibility for day to day safe operation of the vessel, and its wider fleet,” Hewlett said.

The investigation into the cause of the grounding is separate from the detention notice and audit.

Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.