The Maritime Union urges the government not to retire the Aratere ferry, despite its recent breakdown due to a propulsion fault. The ferry waited for hours in Queen Charlotte Sound for repairs, highlighting concerns about the reliability of the Cook Strait fleet, especially as other vessels, Kaiārahi and Kaitaki, are also out of service for maintenance and inspections. Union Secretary Carl Findlay warned that the incident could have resulted in a serious maritime disaster had it occurred in the Strait.
Findlay emphasized the professionalism of the crew, who are facing job losses due to the Aratere’s potential retirement. He called for the government to reverse its decision and invest in maintenance to ensure the fleet remains operational until new ferries arrive in 2029. The union has previously flagged the risks of reducing the fleet to just two vessels, stressing the need for a three-ship operation for a resilient connection.
KiwiRail has canceled several sailings, including the 4 PM Aratere trip, while investigating the electrical issues. Passengers are being rerouted to other vessels, but ongoing breakdowns and maintenance issues across the fleet could lead to significant disruptions in service. Maritime NZ is in discussions with KiwiRail to ensure measures are taken to prevent future incidents.
