Part of Wellington ferry terminal closed because of earthquake risk

The Interislander ferry Aratere approaching the entrance to Wellington Harbour. Photo / Mark Mitchell

An arrivals ferry terminal in Wellington has closed because of an earthquake risk.

From today, Interislander passengers arriving in the city will be re-routed through the Departures Hall.

The building was 23 per cent of the New Building Standard (NBS), a CentrePort spokesman confirmed.

Buildings with a NBS rating of less than 34 per cent are considered earthquake prone.

KiwiRail and CentrePort issued a joint press release announcing the closure this afternoon.

"Assessments confirm the arrivals terminal is below acceptable earthquake risk levels, and it will not be used until further assessment and remediation has occurred. KiwiRail and building owner CentrePort are working together to resolve this as soon as possible."

That risk assessment of the terminal structure was completed this week, the CentrePort spokesman said.

It recommended closing the terminal to allow for further analysis, which would determine the extent of any remedial work, he said.

Damage at CentrePort's container wharf after the Kaikoura Earthquake. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The assessment included a review of previous records for the building, which was built in the 1960s and upgraded in the 1980s to standards of the day.

The closure is expected to have little impact on passengers, who will now arrive via terminal forecourt areas and the departures hall, which has a higher earthquake safety standard.

KiwiRail and CentrePort apologised for the disruption but said safety was their priority.

In 2016, CentrePort was hit hard by the Kaikoura Earthquake, forcing it to suspend operations immediately as it dealt with damage to its buildings and liquefaction. It was forced to modify its services to get them up and running.