Chatham Islands run out of petrol, residents may not be able to use cars or machinery

The remote Chatham Islands have run out of petrol at its only petrol station. Photo / Juliette Silversten

The Chathams Islands’ only petrol station has run out of fuel, raising the prospect residents may be unable to use cars or machinery.

Normally, petrol supplies would come in to the islands, which have a population of around 650 people and lie about 860km east of Christchurch, on the ship MV Southern Tiare.

However, with the Southern Tiare in dry-dock for repairs, island authorities have not yet been able to arrange alternative shipping.

“As everyone knows, we’ve been unable to get a ship over from New Zealand for several weeks, which has seen us run out of petrol at the pumps currently managed by the council,” the Chatham Islands Council said in a statement.

“We are doing everything we can to arrange an alternative resupply of fuel.”

The council apologised for the impact “this will have on everyone with petrol vehicles and machinery”.

The islands’ reliance on the Southern Tiare has long been an issue.

The remote islands lie 860km east of Christchurch. Photo / Juliette Sivertsen

It is operated by Chatham Islands Shipping Ltd, which has earlier said the vessel is more than 35 years old and requires regular maintenance.

In 2023, the ship was also put out of action for months due to essential maintenance required by law.

Chatham Islands Mayor Monique Croon said island residents came close to running out of diesel supplies at that time also - with diesel being used to generate electricity across the main island.

“Essentially the lights would have gone out and that would have been disastrous,” Croon told RNZ at the time.

Farmers on the island have also complained about having to cull stock because reliability issues with the Tiare have made it difficult to export animals to markets at the right time.

Croon today told Newstalk ZB the council and other authorities are looking for permanent alternatives to the Tiare after the Government earlier promised $30 million for a replacement vessel.

In the meantime, authorities hoped to know early next week if another “contingency vessel” can be hired to bring in essential supplies.

She said many Chatham Islands’ residents would have supplies of petrol, given they had known in advance about the issues with the Tiare.

It was also part of life living in the remote islands to be resilient and self-sufficient.

“It’s just part of living on the Chathams unfortunately, and everyone that I know does their best to make sure that they have enough in stock and and have enough supplies,” she said.