Rollout of Interislander's new ferries delayed to avoid ‘busy summer season’
Friday, 3 November 2023
The arrival of two new ferries set to replace the ageing and troubled Interislander fleet, has been pushed back by almost half a year.
In 2021, KiwiRail signed a $551-million contract with Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard to build two new ferries to replace the existing fleet.
The new ferries, which would “nearly double” passenger capacity and reduce carbon emissions, had been expected to arrive in New Zealand in 2025 and 2026.
However, Interislander operations general manager Duncan Roy confirmed on Friday the arrival of the first ferry had now been pushed out from September 2025 to February 2026, coming into service from May that year.
Delivery of the second ferry will be pushed out to September 2026.
“To avoid bringing the first new Interislander ferry into service during the busy summer season, KiwiRail has changed the delivery date,” he said.
“This will make the transition easier for Interislander staff and will ensure our team is able to provide the great service our customers expect during our busiest months.”
During the summer peak between December and January, Interislander passenger numbers climb by 300% to more than 200,000.
The change to the delivery date was jointly agreed with the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea, where the two new ships are being built with construction of the first scheduled to start in March next year.
Roy said the changes would not involve any additional costs and would affect only delivery and handover of the ships, not the terminal construction programme schedule.
It’s the second time new ferries have been delayed, with KiwiRail has previously saying the ferries were intended to arrive in 2024 and 2025.
He said the new timing had several benefits, including a longer period for testing of the ship’s systems and technology before being taken on by KiwiRail.
“Following the completion of construction, the ships are handed over to KiwiRail in South Korea and sailed to New Zealand.
“When they arrive here, they undergo a programme of preparation before they can operate commercially. This includes berthing trials, crew safety and operational training and familiarisation, and onboard service preparation.”
It also aligned better with the new terminal construction timetable, with questions raised about whether it will be built on time.
The ferry operator has been plagued by issues this year, with many raising concerns about the ageing ships following multiple engineering faults.
Some ferry goers, using both providers – the Interislander and Bluebridge – were left stranded in February and March by breakdowns which saw delays, cancellations and a backlog of bookings.
The Kaitaki, with 864 people on board, lost power to all four engines on January 28 and was blown a nautical mile towards the rocky south coast of the North Island.