Tag: new-zealand

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Now that’s what I call a f****** ferry fiasco as New Zealand’s Tories ‘rat-f***’ their own ferry company

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Regular readers may remember that New Zealand’s state-owned lifeline Cook Strait Ferries have been drifting toward rocks with hundreds on board, running into harbours and stranding passengers on the wrong harbour with their elderly vessels, on average 10 years older than out CalMac boats.. The outgoing Labour government oversaw a contract for two new ferries ballooning to $2 billion and the incoming National (conservative) government completely cancelled the deal with a $3 million penalty to the Korean builders, putting the Ferguson Marine delays and over-runs into perspective. Tomorrow in the NZ Daily blog: Let’s get this completely straight. KiwiRail negotiates … Continue reading Now that’s what I call a f****** ferry fiasco as New Zealand’s Tories ‘rat-f***’ their own ferry company

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Drifts nearly onto the rocks, hits the harbour wall and now runs aground – New Zealand’s real ferry crisis

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By our International Ferry Correspondent In January 2023: Stricken Cook Strait ferry the Kaitaki drifted more than a nautical mile towards the rugged Wellington south coast in winds gusting over 100kph, it’s been revealed. The harbour ships that raced to her aid also likely lacked the grunt to pull her and 800 passengers to safety. Wellington Harbourmaster Grant Nalder on Sunday praised the professionalism of the crew and captain, who battled challenging conditions to drop two anchors and halt the powerless ship’s drift 0.9 nautical miles from shore and 0.6 nautical miles (1.1km) from hitting the sea floor. In November … Continue reading Drifts nearly onto the rocks, hits the harbour wall and now runs aground – New Zealand’s real ferry crisis

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After two elderly New Zealand ferries drift out of control and Government cancels contract for new ones, it offers to pay for towing (away from rocks) next time

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To read in full https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=New+Zealand To read in full https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=New+Zealand To read in full https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=New+Zealand From the New Zealand Herald today: The Government has announced $600,000 to investigate emergency towing options for Cook Strait which the maritime union says is an ambulance at the bottom of a cliff. There was no word in the Budget on what will replace Interislander’s cancelled mega ferries and Treasury says exiting the contract to build them is a fiscal risk. Last week the Herald revealed the Government was considering advice on improving emergency towing after two recent mayday calls. There is no emergency towing vessel on standby in New Zealand to help large ships in strife. Interislander’s … Continue reading After two elderly New Zealand ferries drift out of control and Government cancels contract for new ones, it offers to pay for towing (away from rocks) next time

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Second New Zealand ferry loses power and drifts

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From RNZ yesterday: A Bluebridge ferry passenger says people were plunged into darkness when a ship briefly lost power coming into Wellington Harbour on Saturday afternoon. Wellington Harbourmaster Grant Nalder said the ferry had a problem on board which caused it to lose power about 4.45pm. “They passed that on, assistance was called, there was a tug heading out towards them. They actually resolved it themselves, got power on, carried on up towards the berth and used the tug as a precaution getting into the berth,” he said. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/517826/bluebridge-ferry-loses-power-while-entering-wellington-harbour From Maritime Executive in January 2024: New Zealand Prosecutes RoRo Operator … Continue reading Second New Zealand ferry loses power and drifts

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All 3 New Zealand Cook Strait ferries out of service after one drifts toward rocks with 800 passengers and Government refusal to replace

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From the Daily Cargo News yesterday: AN INTENSIFIED maintenance program for Interisland Line’s trouble-plagued Cook Strait ferries will see at all three out of service for protracted periods over coming months. The only rail-capable vessel, Aratere, will lay-by in Wellington for work from 11 to 23 May. Kaiarahi will undergo a ‘wet dock’ at the Waitohi West berth in Picton from 4 June until 6 July. And Kaitaki will have a much longer absence, due to the need for a comprehensive drydocking in Singapore, which involves a 14-dayvoyage up and 14 days back. This means Kaitaki will be out of service from 29 July to 6 October. … Continue reading All 3 New Zealand Cook Strait ferries out of service after one drifts toward rocks with 800 passengers and Government refusal to replace

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New Zealand government has no plans to avert another terrifying incident when ageing ferry drifted towards rocks, endangering the lives of hundreds of passengers

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From Newsroom NZ today: In the 16 years since it was bought by the government for $690 million, KiwiRail has had several overhauls and turnaround plans worth billions of dollars. Its ambitions as a successful, profitable operator of tourism, freight and ferries have often been derailed by disasters from earthquakes to cyclones, mine explosions and the collapse of key industries like coal mining. Add to that the Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ bombshell decision not to pump another billion dollars into the Interislander mega ferries, sinking the project and leaving a question mark over KiwiRail’s future as a shipping operator. “I … Continue reading New Zealand government has no plans to avert another terrifying incident when ageing ferry drifted towards rocks, endangering the lives of hundreds of passengers

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Disbelief spreading as Government is reportedly considering a Wellington mega tunnel after axing Cook Strait mega ferry project 

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New Zealand media is alive with From News Fahara today: Disbelief is spreading as the Government is reportedly considering a Wellington mega tunnel after axing the Cook Strait mega ferry project. The proposed tunnel, which would run underneath the capital city, has raised eyebrows due to its potential multi-billion dollar price tag. The decision comes on the heels of the Government’s refusal to fund the ferry project, which had seen significant cost overruns. https://news.faharas.net/en/disbelief-government-considering-wellington-mega/ And from the NZ Herald, also today: There’s disbelief the Government is considering a mega tunnel underneath Wellington, that will cost several billion dollars, after axing the … Continue reading Disbelief spreading as Government is reportedly considering a Wellington mega tunnel after axing Cook Strait mega ferry project 

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Scandal as NZ Government seeks to buy unavailable second-hand ferries and keep ‘very end-of-life’ wharf

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From Radio New Zealand today: KiwiRail says it is now looking at buying second-hand ships for the Cook Strait ferry service, and is asking what to do about the terminals. It has blamed poor project governance in part for cost escalations in its Interislander replacement Project Irex, sunk when the government balked in December at rising terminal rebuild costs. Chief executive Peter Reidy told MPs at a select committee at Parliament there are only 22 second-hand ships worldwide that fit the bill – such as being rugged enough for the Strait – and none are for sale. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/509283/kiwirail-considers-buying-second-hand-ships-for-cook-strait-ferry-service And from … Continue reading Scandal as NZ Government seeks to buy unavailable second-hand ferries and keep ‘very end-of-life’ wharf

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Ferry operator to be prosecuted after 800 passengers drift toward rocks near Wellington

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From the NZ Herald, yesterday: KiwiRail will face court after an Interislander ferry lost power and issued a mayday call while near Wellington’s south coast in January last year. Maritime New Zealand today confirmed it has filed a single charge against KiwiRail under the Health and Safety at Work Act, after an investigation into procedures around safety and maintenance. The Kaitaki had more than 800 people on board for its 2.15pm sailing to Wellington on January 28 last year. Shortly before 5pm, the ship reported engine problems. Ten minutes later, it issued a mayday call after all four engines shut down amid … Continue reading Ferry operator to be prosecuted after 800 passengers drift toward rocks near Wellington

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New Zealand’s ‘catastrophic’ ferry service may be worse than CalMac judging by Mull councillors silence these days

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Today in the NZ Herald: Another fault with a Cook Strait Interislander ferry is being investigated after the vessel experienced an engine issue at sea today. The engine issue is the latest in a string of faults experienced by the increasingly unreliable and ageing Interislander fleet. In November last year, sailings for Kaiarahi were cancelled after a large hole was ripped in the hull of the boat. Wellington harbourmaster Grant Nalder said at the time the hole above the waterline in the Interislander ferry looked “quite dramatic”. “You can actually see through to the other side of the ship.” In a … Continue reading New Zealand’s ‘catastrophic’ ferry service may be worse than CalMac judging by Mull councillors silence these days