KiwiRail’s new leased ferry Valentine has arrived in Wellington to meet freight demand while one of its three vessels, the Kaiarahi, remains out of service following major gearbox failure.
The replacement vessel arrived from the UK and will be a freight-only service across the Cook Strait beginning later this month after the handover and familiarisation is complete.
The Kaiarahi is expected to remain out of service well into 2022 with vital spare parts needing to be manufactured overseas before repairs can be completed.
Interislander general manager Walter Rushbrook says Valentine will provide extra capacity and resilience at one of the busiest times of the year.
“The freight-only ferry will free up space for passengers and their vehicles on the other ferries, ensuring New Zealanders can travel during the summer holiday season.
“It will also ensure that shelves can remain stocked as the country continues to deal with the impacts of COVID.
“Kaiarahi’s gearbox failure highlights that our fleet is aging, and while we undertake a significant amount of maintenance on our vessels, just like an old car, they are more prone to breakdowns,” Rushbrook says.
KiwiRail has already signed a NZ$551 million contract with Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard to build two new Interislander ferries which will replace its existing three ageing vessels. The first of the two new Cook Strait ferries will arrive in 2025 and the second in 2026.
Valentine is being leased for an initial 12 months. KiwiRail is working closely with the Ministry of Health regarding the COVID procedures for when the crew arrives in NZ. Subject to final testing results, the Valentine’s crew will not need to undertake a further stay in managed isolation after arrival. The normal maritime border processes will apply.
The crew is made up of 20 overseas members from a ship delivery company and 12 Interislander staff, who are onboard to observe the ships operations and to familiarise themselves with the vessel.
The last port the ship visited was Panama as she transited the Canal, 16 days ago. All crew, including the Interislander members are fully vaccinated.
“We are pleased Valentine has arrived, and we are looking forward to her playing an important role for our business, and for New Zealand,” Rushbrook says.
