Newest inter-island ferry to start plying Cook Strait today

Wednesday, 23 July 2025

The new ferry to sail the Cook Strait is arriving into Wellington at the end of a remarkable journey for the ship.

The newest ferry to ply the Cook Strait, Livia, will enter service on Wednesday night when a freight sailing leaves Wellington at 8.30pm.

The first passenger sailing will be on Thursday when the ferry sails from Wellington at 8.15am.

Livia’s owner, Bluebridge, gave a sneak peek of the new ferry’s interior on social media.

“Our crew has been working hard for the last few weeks as we prepare Livia for her first sailing.”

It pointed out that the ferry company has used te reo Māori in its signage, “reflecting our commitment to celebrating Aotearoa New Zealand and making every journey more meaningful”.

Seating on Bluebridge’s Livia which makes its first passenger crossing on Cook Strait on Thursday.

Livia’s cabins for the Cook Strait crossing.

The newest ferry to sail the Cook Strait arrives into Wellington in early July to a “tugboat spray” welcome off Oriental Bay.

The bar area of Bluebridge's newest passenger and freight ferry.

Built in 2008, Livia’s original name was Norman Voyager and it made its maiden voyage that same year between Rosslare, Ireland and the French port of Le Havre.

It was operated by a number of ferry lines until it was bought in 2021 by Stena Line to sail the Baltic Sea. Bluebridge then bought the ship in March.

It was accompanied into the harbour by the city’s tugboats and sprayed with water by the tugs in a ceremonial welcome at the beginning of July.

The Livia, built in 2008, turned 17 this year ‒ making it the youngest public ferry currently working the Wellington to Picton route.

Livia is a sister ship to StraitNZ’s Connemara, which began service on Cook Strait in 2023. The new ferry, which can carry 500 passengers, will take on Connemara's schedule when it goes into dry dock.

Eventually, Livia will replace Strait Feronia later in the year.