Slower ferry will cost passengers more, firm says

Passengers will have to pay more to cross Cook Strait by ferry if plans to restrict ship speeds in the Marlborough Sounds are successful, Toll New Zealand has warned.

The company, along with Strait Shipping and the New Zealand Shipping Federation, is fighting Marlborough District Council's moves to restrict the speed of new large ferries in the sounds to 15 knots, unless they comply with a wave height rule.

The hearings began before judge Shonagh Kenderdine and commissioners Russell Howie and John Mills at Vintners Retreat Conference Centre yesterday.

Toll counsel Stephen Kos told the Environment Court in Blenheim the council plans would add up to a net economic loss for Toll of up to $43 million a year.

Mr Kos said a reduction in speed of new ships would result in Toll and other shipping operators losing two sailings a day.

The new vessels would not be able to maintain the level of freight and passenger service currently available through six sailings a day, so when the older ferries are replaced by 2009 travel costs will increase.

Mr Kos said the company wanted to continue operating the conventional ships at 20 knots subject to collaboration between the company and the council on a monitoring regime for ship wake in the Sounds.

Toll had previously conceded it would restrict its operating speed to 20 knots, which was the absolute maximum reduction practicable in light of the operating parameters faced by the shipping operators, he said.

The council's Navigational Bylaw 2000 had restricted the speed of fast ferries to 18 knots through the Sounds making it highly unlikely Toll or any other operator would introduce another fast ferry to Cook Strait.

The hearing, which continues today, is scheduled to last all week with extra time set aside for the weeks of October 17 and October 25 if needed.

- NZPA