Troubled ferry in dry-dock for engine change

By SCOTT MacLEOD AND NZPA

Tranz Rail is fixing one of its Cook Strait ferries in an Auckland dry-dock after engine trouble caused a string of late sailings.

The Aratere steamed into Auckland early yesterday and into a dry-dock at the Devonport naval base.

The interisland ferry, introduced in February 1999, has struggled to keep up with its six daily sailings since last December 14, when it blew a piston in one of the four engines.

It has also had problems with bearings in one of the engines.

The engine will be replaced under warranty from its Finnish manufacturers, Wartsila.

Interisland Services technical manager John Williams said workers would cut a hole in the $118 million ferry's rail deck so the faulty engine could be pulled out.

Mr Williams said Tranz Rail was using the opportunity to service the 150m-long vessel five months ahead of schedule.

Workers would apply anti-foul to the hull, bar staff would be given more space, coolers would be overhauled and other changes made to accommodation.

"It's not unusual for a ship to have engine trouble," Mr Williams said. "We're looking at a good ship here."

Tranz Rail spokeswoman Sue Foley said the Aratere left Wellington on Saturday morning.

It would resume service on March 27.

The freight ferry Arahanga had been pulled out of mothballs as a short-term replacement.

Tranz Rail ferries were plagued by breakdowns and late sailings between early December and last month, annoying the tourist industry. The Aratere missed two sailings after blowing its piston, and was out of service for the week until December 22.

It then consistently ran behind schedule, and by mid-January up to 50 per cent of all interisland sailings were running late.

Then, on January 22, the Aratere left Picton four minutes early and stranded four passengers.

On February 4, 50 passengers spent the night in Wellington when the Arahura broke down.

Meanwhile, Tranz Rail's tracks are also under scrutiny following concern about missing bolts on the main trunk line.

The Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) will investigate after the issue was raised again at the weekend.

Initial concerns about empty bolt holes were voiced in Horowhenua last year at a time when Tranz Rail was warning the public it was increasing the speed of trains through Levin.

The concerns were dismissed by Tranz Rail as irresponsible and mischievous.

The issue came up again at the weekend when the LTSA was shown film of a section of track at Raurimu, in the central North Island, in similar disrepair to the tracks through Horowhenua.

LTSA spokesman Craig Dowling said yesterday that Tranz Rail's own safety code said all bolt holes should have bolts in them.

Speed restrictions should be imposed when bolts were broken or missing, he said.

"We would expect them to get the bolts in fairly quickly."

Mr Dowling said Tranz Rail had assured the authority that the rail network was safe, but the authority would now be talking to Tranz Rail about the bolting requirements.

Mr Dowling said the LTSA issued operating warrants to companies like Tranz Rail and the ultimate sanction was to revoke the warrant if the system posed too great a safety risk.

Sue Foley said four bolts a rail was the optimum requirement, but two bolts in a rail did not pose a major safety issue.

The Raurimu concerns had been picked up by the company before they were raised publicly, she said.

"People travelling need have no concerns about safety."

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