KiwiRail has confirmed it has purchased the Valentine ferry from the UK for around NZ$8.5 million as a replacement freight vessel on its Interislander operations.
It had previously leased the freight-only ship which arrived in November last year after the Kaiarahi ferry went out of service following major gearbox failure.
KiwiRail says it had an option to purchase Valentine at the end of the lease period and it has exercised this option, buying the ship from Gotland Shipping.
Interislander general manager Walter Rushbrook says Valentine has been an invaluable addition to the Interislander fleet over the past nine months, providing vital Cook Strait freight capacity for the road and rail networks.
“KiwiRail plays a critical role in New Zealand’s supply chain, providing the SH1 and main trunk rail connection between the North and South Islands. Valentine has helped maintain that connection during a challenging period.
“Valentine has proved to be a great freight ship with the ability to carry up to 80 truck units each sailing. This has especially been helpful while Interislander has been undertaking scheduled maintenance on the fleet through the winter period and while completing the Kaiarahi gearbox repairs.
“Purchasing Valentine means we have additional capacity and resilience for our customers as we prepare for the pre-Christmas peak in freight demand,” Rushbrook says.
Kaiarahi begins sea trials
Meanwhile, the Kaiarahi ferry is now undergoing sea trials after being out of service.
The sea trial is the first step in its return to Cook Strait operations and its role as a vital freight connection.
Following the trials and other commissioning tests, Kaiarahi will be returning initially as a freight-only service before welcoming passengers back on board.
Interislander says it will announce exact return to service dates as the re-commissioning testing begins.
“After a number of years with COVID disruptions, we are expecting more domestic and international passengers through the summer months, so the return of Kaiarahi couldn’t have come at a better time for Interislander,” Rushbrook says.
Special steel needed to be sourced and machined overseas to replace the damaged parts inside the gearbox.
The ship has been berthed in Waitohi Picton while the repair works have been undertaken.
