The Southern hemisphere's first all-electric high performance passenger ferry was launched in Wellington at the end of last year. Photo / Simon Hoyle
The Southern hemisphere's first all-electric high performance passenger ferry was launched in Wellington at the end of last year. Photo / Simon Hoyle
A Wellington company is frustrated it didn't get the chance to bid for the contract to build two new electric ferries in Auckland, which the Government has granted $27 million for.
The Wellington Electric Boat Building Company (WEBBC) officially launched the Southern hemisphere's first all-electric high performance passenger ferry at the end of last year.
It's now servicing the Queen's Wharf to Days Bay route on Wellington's harbour and the catamaran has very much been a success.
In April, the Government announced two 200 person capacity electric ferries for the City of Sails, in collaboration with Auckland Transport, EV Maritime and boat builders McMullen & Wing.
WEBBC managing director Fraser Foote said he was concerned that contract never went through a tender process.
"The decision-making process does not seem to be transparent, it's frustrating that we didn't have any involvement."
But Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods said the two Auckland ferries were funded as a Covid-19 shovel-ready project.
"Essentially the Crown asked for submissions of quality projects that could be approved as quickly as possible, while providing material benefit, which could include demonstration and pilot projects, the likes that had not been seen before."
Woods said this was not comparable with a normal tender process and noted the Infrastructure Reference Group considered and advised on the projects that were submitted.
"The Wellington Electric Boat Building Company did not submit a funding application for decarbonisation of the Auckland ferry fleet, as part of the Shovel Ready Project application process, and so were not considered to build the ferries."
Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
The $27 million grant from the Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund will pay for about 75 per cent of the costs of constructing the two new electric ferries in Auckland.
The Wellington electric ferry project only got $300,000 from EECA and $250,000 from Callaghan Innovation after repeated requests for Government funding, Foote said.
Foote said WEBBC was involved in another shovel-ready project bid, with East by West Ferries, for $25 million to build two smaller electric ferries to service a Wellington Airport and Miramar Peninsula route.
But that was unsuccessful.
Woods said electric ferries were a relatively new technology in New Zealand and the insights gained from the Auckland project would be valuable for operators and encourage broader uptake.
"This project will be a major boost to the rapidly developing maritime clean technology sector, and further upskill those working in the sector."
Foote said WEBBC was already providing energy profile data, from Wellington's electric ferry, to Auckland Transport for free.
It cost $28 for the ferry to do a return trip across Wellington harbour, which saved $100 in diesel costs, Foote said.
"The boat is significantly more energy efficient than we had calculated."
National's transport spokesman Simeon Brown said he was concerned the Government did not go through a tender process for the $27 million Auckland ferry project.
There were a small number of companies in New Zealand who were building electric ferries, including the company in Wellington which has already successfully built one, Brown said.
"While electrifying the ferry fleet in New Zealand is a good thing, by not going through a tender process the Government is not ensuring that they are achieving good value for money for taxpayers and allowing all companies who can deliver these ferries the opportunity to bid for this work."
