Cook Strait ferry operator StraitNZ Bluebridge has officially welcomed its newest vessel, Livia, which docked in Wellington shortly before 9am on Thursday.
The vessel arrived at Oriental Bay following a month-and-a-half journey from Europe, having departed Denmark on May 19 after undergoing a full drydock refit. It transited the Panama Canal on June 15 before making its way across the Pacific to New Zealand.
“Livia is home,” the company posted on social media. “Her first official run will be at the end of July.”
Livia’s maiden commercial sailing will take place following a 20-day period of procedural audits and crew familiarisation. The ship, originally launched in 2008, will carry up to 500 passengers and features an additional freight deck compared to the vessel it replaces, the Strait Feronia which has been in service since 1997.
The ferry was purchased earlier this year from Swedish shipping firm Stena Line, where it operated as the Stena Livia between Germany and Latvia. It is a sister ship to the Connemara, which joined the Bluebridge fleet in 2023.
StraitNZ chief executive Shane McMahon described the acquisition as a significant milestone for the company.
“We are familiar with the vessel type and know it is well suited to work on Cook Strait. When we set out to find a suitable vessel replacement … we wanted to be able to provide more freight and passenger capacity and the Livia delivers both,” he said at the time of the acquisition.
Bluebridge currently holds about 50% of the Cook Strait freight market and over 30% of the passenger market. The addition of Livia is expected to boost vehicle capacity by 10% and allow for further growth in passenger numbers.
“Bluebridge has invested and grown its Cook Strait fleet for the past 32 years. Where it makes commercial sense, we will continue to invest in capacity for our customers – both freight and passenger,” McMahon said.
“As a private company this investment is made with no funding from government for vessels or landside infrastructure.”
