Due to the resumption of Interisland ferries Kaitaki and Kaiarahi, KiwiRail is working with it’s freight customers by delivering goods on the rail network to its container transfer site at Blenheim.
From there, trucks may now carry the freight to Christchurch either via the West Coast or State Highway 7.
The Kaitaki and Kaiarahi ferries are now back to more than 75% capacity on the Cook Strait, and the company hopes to be running full operations by the end of the week.
The rail-enabled Aratere ferry will remain berthed in Wellington today pending clearance of the Wellington rail span.
KiwiRail chief executive Peter Reidy says real progress occurred over the past 48 hours getting rail and ferry operations back to full speed and supporting customers.
“We have made some significant strides in a short amount of time. All freight lines in the North Island and South of Christchurch are open and operating, and rail alternatives have been arranged for CentrePort customers to other North Island ports, meaning there is no disruption of New Zealand’s exports,” says Reidy.
“The damage on the Main North Line between Christchurch and Picton is significant. However, KiwiRail has been working hard around the clock to ensure we have a comprehensive understanding of the extent of the damage and what needs doing,” he says.
“KiwiRail has set up coordination centres in Christchurch and Wellington to work with the New Zealand Transport Agency and ensure alignment on damage assessment and subsequent repairs,” says Reidy.
