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Aratere

IMO Number
9174828
Vessel Type
Passenger Ro Ro Cargo Ship
Flag
New Zealand

Photos

Vessel Specifications

MMSI
512071000
Callsign
ZMII
Width
20.0 m
Length
182.0 m

Crew Reviews (1)

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Latest News

KiwiRail fined after grounding of ferry
May 05, 2026

**Title: KiwiRail Penalized $375,000 Following 'Aratere' Ferry Grounding Incident** KiwiRail has been mandated to pay a hefty fine of $375,000 after its ferry, originally known as 'Aratere'—now renam...

Booking of retired ferry at Port Nelson cancelled
Apr 01, 2026

**Title: Cancellation of Vega's Scheduled Entry at Port Nelson** The former Interislander ferry 'Aratere', now known as 'Vega', has missed its recent port booking at Port Nelson due to a cancellation...

Concerns about welfare and paying aboard former Interislander ferry
Feb 16, 2026

The Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) has raised concerns about the welfare and pay of crew members aboard the former Interislander ferry 'Aratere', now registered as 'Vega', which has been anchore...

Decommissioned ferry renamed
Dec 11, 2025

The former Kiwirail ferry 'Aratere' has been renamed 'Vega' after having been decommissioned and still awaiting her final journey to the scrapyard in India. As of Dec 11, the ship remained anchored in...

sold to Breakers
Oct 17, 2025

sold to Breakers 10.10.25

Aratere to be broken up in India
Oct 10, 2025

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...

Final sailing from Picton scheduled
Aug 07, 2025

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-ena...

Maritime NZ has filed two charges against KiwiRail after grounding
Jun 18, 2025

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 in...

Ferry suffered propulsion trouble
Jun 12, 2025

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 d...

Aratere to be retired no later than end of August
May 20, 2025

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 m...

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