Auckland's Northcote Point ferry services suspended after crew member injured in berthing incident

Thursday, 11 February 2021

Ferry services from Te Onewa Northcote Point Wharf relaunched in February 2021, two and a half years after the wharf was closed for health and safety reasons.

Ferry services from Auckland's Northcote Point Wharf have been suspended only a week after they restarted, following an incident which saw a crew member injured.

On Thursday, February 4 Te Onewa Northcote Wharf was opened with a blessing from Ngāti Whātua, with ferry sailing commencing shortly after.

However, on Saturday, a crew member was injured during an on-board incident, highlighting the need for additional work to improve safety on vessels during berthing and resulting in the wharf’s temporary closure.

In a statement to North Shore Councillor Richard Hills, Auckland Transport confirmed the Fullers 360 crew member was injured during a struggle to “secure lines on the pile hooks”.

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A Fullers 360 crew member was injured during a boarding incident, prompting the temporary suspension of ferry services while berthing safety is improved.

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Ferry services to Birkenhead and the CBD were initially suspended in June 2018, after deterioration was detected in the wharf’s structure.

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Ferry services were supposed to resume on January 25, however adverse weather conditions and supplier delays pushed the launch date out to February 4.

“This issue resulted in an incident on a sailing where a line was not able to be secured and an injury to a member of the crew.”

As a result of the incident, ferry services have been temporarily halted, Auckland Transport ferry services manager Gareth Willis said.

“This is very disappointing, and we apologise sincerely to customers,” he said, adding that crew and passenger safety was its “number one priority”.

A Fullers 360 spokesperson confirmed a crew member sustained a shoulder injury during the incident.

“We support Auckland Transport’s decision to close Te Onewa Northcote Point Wharf, and will continue to work closely together to ensure safety is not compromised in order operate our sailing safely,” the Fullers 360 spokesperson said.

Auckland Transport and marine contractor STF, which completed the $2.6 million wharf upgrade, met at the wharf on Wednesday, however it is not yet known when sailings can re-commence.

“We are working on an interim fix for delivery this week, pending engineering assessment of a more permanent improvement at a later date,” Auckland Transport said.

“Both requires Fullers 360 sign off prior to restart of services which should be later this week.”

A taxi replacement service will be operating between Northcote and the Auckland CBD on Thursday, according to an alert on the Fullers 360 website.

The 60-year-old Northcote Point wharf was temporarily closed for health and safety reasons in June 2018 after routine maintenance revealed wooden structural pieces of the wharf had deteriorated.

But by the time 2020 rolled around, work had yet to commence due to rising design costs, requiring approval for additional funding.

The wharf was due to reopen on January 25 – a year later than originally planned – but its reopening ceremony was postponed due to the new Covid case in Northland.

Ferry sailings were also delayed due to adverse weather and supplier delays.

Once ferry services resume, Northcote Point sailings will run between the CBD’s Downtown Ferry Terminal, Northcote and Birkenhead and back to the city again between 6.25am and 11pm, Monday to Friday, with a less frequent timetable at weekends.