Transport Minister Michael Wood is asked about the state of Cook Strait ferries. Video / Mark Mitchell
The Maritime Union is urging the Government to find a solution for the ageing Cook Strait ferries saying there is “no easy way out for anyone” but New Zealand does not have “the luxury of time”.
Maritime Union national secretary Craig Harrison said the ferries are right at the end of their life, especially for ships that sail in a “tough bit of water” like Cook Strait.
“I don’t think we’re going to get the luxury of time [to replace them],” he told Newstalk ZB’s Tim Dower this morning.
“The planning was to have them gone by mid-next year and get the two replacement vehicles designed to sail in heavier conditions. That’s all been kicked on until the Government finds a solution but time is not on our side.”
In December last year, the Government declined KiwiRail’s request for an extra $1.47 billion for portside infrastructure needed for Cook Strait’s new ferries.
A $551m contract was signed with a South Korean shipyard back in 2021 to build the new ferries. KiwiRail has confirmed this contract will be terminated.
Advertising for the iRex project remains up in Picton despite the Government cancelling funding for it in December.
Harrison said the Government needs to find an alternate solution before time runs out.
“It’s like running an old car, you can have a vintage one but it takes time and money to keep it on the road. We should be looking for a fix that lasts for generations.”
Harrison’s comments follow on from KiwiRail being charged by Maritime NZ for an incident in January last year where one of the ferries lost power in the Cook Strait and drifted toward the rocky coast.
The mayday call sparked an immediate response from emergency services and the public as the ferry came dangerously close to rocks.
Six other vessels swiftly made their way to the Kaitaki, including the Aratere, the police patrol vessel the Lady Elizabeth IV, two tugs, a pilot boat and a fishing boat.
Five rescue helicopters were also called and a cordon was erected at Owhiro Bay near Red Rocks.
Maritime New Zealand confirmed yesterday it has filed a single charge against KiwiRail under the Health and Safety at Work Act, after an investigation into procedures around safety and maintenance.
Harrison said KiwiRail was placed in an impossible position by the Government because of decades of underfunding.
“We have a ridiculous situation where the Government regulator is having to prosecute a state-owned enterprise for ferry problems, but the Government has just cancelled new ferries that would solve the problem.
“The real issue here is historic underinvestment in ferries and coastal shipping over several decades, which has led to a crisis point in the safety and reliability of our supply chain.”
Vita Molyneux is a Wellington-based journalist who covers breaking news and stories from the capital. She has been a journalist since 2018 and joined the Herald in 2021.
