Aratere

sold to Breakers 10.10.25

KiwiRail has agreed to sell the 'Aratere' to a buyer, which will deliver it to a specialist recycling shipyard in India. The ferry was retired in August to make way for the port infrastructure needed for the arrival of two new rail enabled ferries which are due to be delivered in 2029. As the 'Aratere' was not deemed suitable for most ferry operators due to its age and would require significant modification or specialist port infrastructure, Kiwiral has pursued a safe, efficient and environmentally responsible recycling option. Interislander has been working closely with the Environmental Protection Authority throughout the process. In April, Rail Minister Winston Peters had announced it would be retired due to it being the only ferry where rail freight could roll on and off it, which meant it couldn't be use at another wharf in Picton while port upgrades there and in Wellington are underway for the new ferries. It would have cost $120 million to keep the 'Aratere' in service. Once the buyer takes ownership of the ferry, it will be responsible for crewing its journey to the recycling yard subject to review by the EPA, was is pending. KiwiRail has repurposed appliances, furniture, and other items from the 'Aratere' across its fleet and operations, while some items have been donated. The ship has been berthed in Wellington since Aug 18.

The 'Aratere' will make its final sailing from Picton on Aug 18 at 11 a.m., after 26 years of service. Major infrastructure work in Picton will then commence to prepare for the arrival of new rail-enabled ferries in 2029. The 'Kaiārahi' is returning from dry-dock in Singapore to replace the 'Aratere' after completing the scheduled maintenance. No booking changes will be required for freight customers or passengers as a new two-ship timetable is already in place. Switching from three ships to two ships, the 'Kaitaki' and the 'Kaiārahi', will have a big impact on staff, passengers and freight. The capacity of the two new ferries will be larger than the current fleet of three ships as a necessary step towards a more efficient and sustainable future. The 'Aratere' crew will send the ship off in a private event in early September.

Maritime NZ has filed two charges against KiwiRail in connection with the grounding of the 'Aratere' on June 21, 2024, which occurred north of Picton with 47 people on-board, after an investigation into the accident of the Interislander ferry. The charges related to failures by the operator to keep crew and passengers safe while on-board the ferry. They were filed under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. The investigation has looked at systems, policies and procedures and culture, within KiwiRail in relation to the incident, during which a ignificant number of interviews were conducted, and a substantial amount of evidence collated.

The 'Aratere' broke down on its way to Wellington on the night of June 11. The ferry left Picton at about 8.50 p.m., but then experienced an issue with its propulsion drive. Seven commercial vehicle drivers and four foot passengers were on board the ferry while it was anchored for hours, waiting for a specialist electrician to arrive. The issue was fixed at about 1 a.m.. and the vessel resumed its trip to Wellington, with a new ETA as of June 12, 5 a.m. Kiwirail had to cancel the 6.15 a.m. departure from Wellington to Picton and the 11.00 a.m. crossing from Picton to Wellington and also the 4 p.m. sailing, as the search for the cause of the problem was continued. Interislander's customer service teams were amending bookings due to these cancellations. All affected customers were offered an alternative sailing. If the alternative sailing was not suitable, passengers could reschedule for no additional cost.

KiwiRail has confirmed that the 'Aratere' will be retiring no later than Aug 30 after it was revealed at the end of April that the ferry would be pulled from service on the Cook Strait this year, to make way for the required Picton port re-development in preparation for the two brand-new Cook Strait ferries arriving in 2029. Work on Picton wharf could begin as soon as October, and no later than March 2026. The vessel, which had served the Cook Strait since 1999, required specific loading and unloading infrastructure so it could not use the other Interislander wharf in Picton. KiwiRail has talked to customers and has confirmed a new two-ship timetable and coordinating rail timetable, as well as developing a plan for road bridging during the transition to the new rail-enabled ships. More than 2200 passenger bookings have now been transferred from the 'Aratere' to the 'Kaitaki' and 'Kaiārahi'. If replacement bookings do not suit customers, they can change their booking without any change fee or receive a full refund. Holders of more than 2500 passenger bookings affected by a change in departure time with the move to the new two-ship timetable have also been notified of their new departure time. Freight customers will be contacted from May 20 to lock in their freight requirements.