Subscribe to RSSAratere Freight Sailings Resume
Maritime NZ tonight approved freight-only sailings of the Aratere to resume.
So Aratere will resume services tonight. No details have been released of what has been found during tests so far.
Interislander general manager Thomas Davis says tests to ensure the safe operation of the Cook Strait ferry were successful,
He said a rail freight-only sailing would leave Wellington late tonight, about 11.30pm, and freight-only sailings would operate tomorrow.
To minimize passenger disruption, Interislander has cancelled Aratere’s scheduled passenger sailings today and tomorrow.
Affected passengers have been offered alternative arrangements.
No passenger sailings are scheduled for Sunday or Monday, because of a layby scheduled before last Monday’s incident.
ARATERE: Freight sailings resume | Anthony Phelps
Mr Davis apologised to customers for the disruption, but said that safety is paramount for Interislander.
Maritime NZ and Det Norske Veritas officials were on board Aratere during the final tests this morning.
Earlier in the week Aratere experienced a reduction in power in Tory Channel.
The master continued into Cook Strait because the weather was mild, and power was restored to the engines shortly afterwards. The ship did not stop at any point, although speed was reduced to 3 knots at the slowest part of its trip.
The ship continued across Cook Strait, but suffered another failure with a fuel control module where a pipe fractured and spraying the space with fuel vapour.
Maritime New Zealand then ruled that the interisland ferry couldn’t sail until issues are resolved and until they rule it is safe for passengers and crew.
1 Comments
Good to hear. Hope all goes well with the Aratere.