Toll making changes to ferry safety procedures

Toll Shipping today admitted it needs to change the attitude towards safety aboard its Interislander ferry Aratere following a damning report by the Maritime Safety Authority (MSA), but said measures were under way.

The MSA report investigated a near grounding in the Tory Channel last September followed two days later by the Aratere cutting across the bow of another ship in Wellington.

The two incidents pointed to poor bridge management and navigational practices, neglect for collision regulations and an over-reliance on electronic navigation aids, the report said.

Toll general manager Paul Garaty said Toll had made many changes since September.

"Changing a safety culture does not happen overnight; these events happened nine months ago," he told National Radio.

"We're making changes and we'll continue to make changes."

Toll had conducted risk assessment, introduced additional training and examined its bridge resource management.

"There's some cultural changes that have to take place and will take place."

Toll, and he personally, took responsibility for what had happened, Mr Garaty said.

"There's accountability right through our business and we'll make sure that things are corrected.

Toll, which took over the Interislander 18 months ago, had spent $5 million rectifying issues it had found, Mr Garaty said.

"People sailing on our vessels are in safe hands."

MSA director Russell Kilvington said the authority was satisfied with steps taken by Toll.

"These incidents really mark pretty much a low point in the entire Cook Strait history," he told National Radio.

"And to be fair are the legacy of the previous owner and the inability of Toll at the time to really realise what they'd bought, which wasn't anywhere near as good as they thought it would be."

Mr Kilvington agreed change took time.

"But they're making great strides.

"Frankly cook strait ferries are probably safety than they've ever been at this point in time."

The MSA investigation found Aratere was operating on "automatic track keeping mode" when it narrowly missed grounding on a rock off Arapawa Island on September 29 with 292 people aboard.

Bridge recordings revealed a number of other people, including children, were on the bridge at the time but Toll had not told MSA investigators other people were on the bridge which might have distracted the crew.

Its chief officer informed the master it was substantially off track, but the ferry's path was not adjusted until the ferry was 100m off course. It was still travelling about 20 knots and missed a rock by 80m to 90m.

Mr Kilvington said automatic steering in restricted waters in Wellington Harbour and the Malborough Sounds was banned a week after the incident.

In the second incident on October 1 Aratere and Strait Shipping's freight ferry Kent were just entering Wellington Harbour when Aratere overtook Kent on her starboard side, as agreed.

However, when Aratere's stern was just past Kent's bow, the Aratere began turning back to port before clear of Kent. Aratere cleared Kent by 130m.

The master of Aratere was censured by the MSA for the incident.

- NZPA