Arrival of first new Interislander mega-ferry delayed

The arrival of Interislander’s first new mega-ferry has been delayed by five months to avoid Cook Strait’s busy summer season.

In mid-2021, KiwiRail signed a $551 million contract with a South Korean shipyard to build two new mega-ferries to replace its ageing and increasingly unreliable fleet.

The first was due to arrive in New Zealand in September 2025, but Interislander operations general manager Duncan Roy said this has been delayed until February 2026.

“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,” Roy said.

“During the December and January peak summer, Interislander numbers climb by around 300 per cent to over 200,000 when compared to our quieter times of year. The change will ensure that the Interislander team has [their] full focus on providing the great service customers expect during the busy summer peak.”

The change in timing was jointly agreed to by the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, where construction of the first new ship is still scheduled to start in March next year.

There is no additional cost to KiwiRail.

The ships will be handed over to KiwiRail in South Korea and then sailed to New Zealand, where they’ll undergo berthing trials, crew safety and operational training, and on board service preparation.

Roy said the new timeline had several benefits, including the dockyard having a longer period to test the ship’s systems and technology before it is delivered to KiwiRail.

He also said the timing aligned better with the terminal construction timetable.

There is growing concern the new terminals and port-side infrastructure needed to accommodate the ferries won’t be ready in time for their arrival after costs ballooned.

KiwiRail’s latest annual report said a comprehensive review of the project found a funding shortfall to complete it in its current form.

“The board has been in discussions with the group’s shareholder about options to address the cost increase and funding shortfall, and on September 19, 2023 the shareholder [the Government] advised the board of funding options that will ensure the programme can continue,” the report said.

It will now fall on the incoming National-led Government to handle KiwiRail’s budget troubles.

Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.