Images of the stricken Cook Strait ferry Aratere aground in the Marlborough Sounds are a “shocking conclusion” to years of warnings about the ageing ferry fleet, says the Maritime Union.
The Aratere ran aground in Titoko Bay (Pine Bay) due to suspected steering failure shortly after leaving Picton around 10pm on Friday.
It was a freight-only voyage with eight commercial vehicle drivers and 39 crew members aboard. There were no reported injuries.
Maritime Union of New Zealand national secretary Carl Findlay says a number of union members were amongst the crew.
If the steering had failed on the Aratere during bad weather, or when the ship was in the Cook Strait, the outcome could have been “disastrous”, he says.
Interislander general manager Duncan Roy told RNZ the ferry suffered a steering failure but could not provide any more details.
As of Saturday, efforts were still underway to refloat the vessel which the union says will be a “difficult and complex operation”.
The Interislander ferries are at end of life, and there have been repeated incidents, such as the loss of power on the Kaitaki in January last year with around 800 passengers plus 80 crew on board.
Findlay says New Zealand has to have modern, fit for purpose Cook Strait ferries, and the Government had made “a massive error” cancelling KiwiRail’s Island Resilient Connection (iReX) project.
Government files relating to the failed iReX project were released in May including dozens of documents from the Treasury, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and KiwiRail.
“If this incident does not shake the Government out of its complacency about the need for investment in new vessels and infrastructure, what will it take?” Findlay says.
He says the implications of the Aratere being out of action are very serious for the transport network, as it is the only rail capable ferry on the Cook Strait.
In addition, other Interislander ferries are currently out of service or due for dry dock.
The Kaiarahi is currently laid up in Picton undergoing maintenance, and the Kaitaki is due to go to Singapore dry dock in late July for scheduled maintenance.
The Aratere was laid up last month and underwent maintenance including on its steering systems. Gearbox issues had also disrupted its schedule and it was awaiting parts from overseas.
Lives and freight at risk
The road freight body Transporting NZ says the sector has demonstrated “considerable resilience” in dealing with ferry disruptions but an enduring solution is needed as soon as possible.
“It’s fortunate that this incident didn’t result in any injuries. We could have been looking at something much more serious,” interim chief executive Dom Kalasih says.
“KiwiRail and the Government need to take all practical steps to safeguard passengers and ensure a secure freight connection between the North and South Islands.
“Apart from the threat to people’s lives, these sorts of breakdowns disrupt freight shipments between the islands.
“Delays can put time sensitive freight at risk and can interfere with truck drivers’ work time compliance (rest time requirements). The Cook Strait is a continuation of SH1 and we just can’t have these sorts of disruptions,” Kalasih says.
National Road Carriers policy and advocacy general manager James Smith says with the Aratere out of action, any shortfall in inter-island rail freight will be picked up by trucks and coastal shipping.
“We understand the impact to inter-island freight will be minimal as the freight supply chain is used to operating without the rail-enabled Aratere.
“Supply chain disruptions are a regular occurrence, fortunately the freight and logistics network is highly resilient, and used to working around the fragile nature of New Zealand’s infrastructure,” Smith says.
Minister responds
Posting on X, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says there will be “several investigations into the incident to confirm what has gone wrong and how we ensure this does not happen again”.
Brown flew to Wellington this morning to be briefed by officials on the incident.
“KiwiRail, the Ministry of Transport, and Maritime New Zealand are updating me on events as they evolve.
“Ministers have made clear their expectation that KiwiRail must take all steps necessary to maintain the safety and reliability of its existing ferries.
“We note that as well as its significant cost blow-outs, a previous proposal for replacement ferries would not have seen ships arrive until at least 2026 and, due to their much larger size, questions remained about whether those ships would have been safe to sail the Tory Channel,” Brown says.
“The Government is working with an expert Ministerial Advisory Group who are recommending options for replacing the ferries. This work is progressing with urgency and Ministers will take recommendations to Cabinet.
“The Government has ensured funding is available to purchase new ships,” Brown says.
The KiwiRail operated ferries run around 3800 services a year, transporting about 850,000 passengers, 250,000 cars. Around $15-$20 billion worth of freight travels the Cook Strait each year, with significant growth predicted.
Investigation underway
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission is now opening an inquiry into the incident.
Chief investigator of accidents Naveen Kozhuppakalam is appointing a team of investigators who will be on site today.
“We’re gathering all the usual evidence and data for the start of this sort of investigation – including bridge voice and voyage data recordings and any video footage,” Kozhuppakalam says.
“Our investigators will be inspecting the ship, seeking and recovering electronic records and interviewing vessel crew, port authorities, and witnesses.
“Getting the facts straight is vital, so we’re keen to hear from passengers on board – especially those who have relevant video footage.”
Anyone with such information can email TAIC at info@taic.org.nz.
Meanwhile, Marlborough’s Harbourmaster has confirmed that the Aratere could not be refloated just yet.
Harbourmaster Jake Oliver says more time was needed to establish further information about the grounding pressure of the boat and vessel design before any refloat is attempted. Divers will be undertaking further inspections and naval architects are also involved.
“The crew and eight passengers are safe on board and there are no evident environmental risks while the vessel is grounded. However, oil spill booms are being made ready to be deployed as a precautionary measure,” Oliver says.
Options are currently being worked through how to take non-essential people off the vessel later today.
