Ferries cancelled: Unexpected cruise ship refuelling causes major disruption

Ports of Auckland has apologised after an unexpected cruise ship refuelling caused major disruption and cancellations to ferry services.

Commuters were forced to find alternative travel plans this morning after a cruise ship refuelling caused the last-minute cancellation of some ferry services.

The Ports of Auckland owned up to the error with a post on Twitter in reply to Auckland Councillor Richard Hills.

“Eek! When it’s us, we will own it. This time it was and we’re very, very sorry,” the tweet said.

“The cruise vessel that does refuels was a few minutes late to the 6.30am cut off. Schedules are planned in advance but this delay isn’t okay and we are investigating.”

Eek! When it’s us, we will own it. This time it was and we’re very, very sorry. The cruise vessel that does refuels was a few minutes late to the 6.30am cut off. Schedules are planned in advance but this delay isn’t okay and we are investigating.

— Ports of Auckland (@AKLPort) February 9, 2023

The unexpected arrival of the cruise ship to the Downtown Ferry Basin in Auckland caused widespread delays and cancellations to commuter ferries.

Notifications were sent to customers using the Waitemata Harbour services into Auckland City including Devonport, Birkenhead, Bayswater, and Waiheke but some of the alerts were only received after the service would have departed.

Just before 7am notifications popped up on the Auckland Transport (AT) app stating because of the cruise ship’s arrival “we are expecting delays and possible cancellations on most ferry services this morning.”

One Devonport resident posted on the local Facebook page that he had to spend $110 on a taxi to get his daughter to the airport because of the cancellation.

“Daughter let down by cancelled 6 am ferry this morning, 6.30 in doubt too. Now on a $110 taxi to the airport. Thank you very much Fullers, haven’t even had the cyclone yet,” the man said in the post.

Ferries were cancelled and delayed this morning with the unexpected refuelling of a cruise ship. Photo / Jason Oxenham NZH 09Jan20 - NZH 27Sep20 - NZH 01Dec20 - The Hauraki Gulf's landscape has suffered under the 2000 legislation, says the EDS report. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Others heading to work in the city were left to find buses or drive.

Some affected passengers were critical of the layout of the Downtown Ferry Basin and pointed out cruise ships used to fuel up at Princes Wharf with no disruption to ferry services.

One regular commuter said the most recent disruption was just another of “disappointing delays and cancellations from the ferry service”.

Fullers has also been approached for comment.