Cook Strait News

New Zealand ferry operator StraitNZ Bluebridge reached an agreement with Hogia Ferry Systems for delivery and implementation of its standard reservation software BOOKIT.Bluebridge operates two ropax ferries between Wellington in the North Island and Picton in the South Island, across Cook Strait. Hogia Ferry Systems is part of the Hogia Group, one of Sweden's largest software companies with 600 employees in Sweden, Finland, Norway and the United Kingdom.

New Zealand’s largest earthquake in 150 years has led to a number of port and infrastructure issues, advises Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS). The ports of Wellington and Picton suffered damages after the 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the upper South Island of New Zealand at midnight local time on November 14. Wellington authorities said both the port and wharf gates will remain closed for the next week, and no ship or cargo operations will be permitted. As and when certain sections are cleared by engineers selective operations may be allowed to recommence during this period, ISS said. Wellington has gantry crane issues, wharf subsidence and log pile collapses. Cook Strait cargo/pax ferries are all at anchor as terminals at Wellington and Picton have substantial damage.

Globally, shipping is on the rise – already 80-90 percent of the world’s trade is by ship; that is more than 12 billion metric tons of goods annually, shipped by 1.5 million seafarers on 50,000 merchant ships. Without shipping, the import and export of goods on the scale necessary to sustain the modern world simply would not be possible. Shipping is especially important to New Zealand, an island that relies heavily on its vibrant maritime sector. “At least 97 percent of our trade is transported by sea – it is the crucial lifeline for our economy and way of life…

A review of coastal navigation safety by Maritime NZ has found that there is a sound framework in place to manage the movement of ships around the New Zealand coast, with procedures in place to assess risk and adjust safety measures if required. Maritime NZ Director Keith Manch said the review, begun in April last year, was prompted by an anticipated increase in the number of ship visits to New Zealand, a trend toward larger ships, and technology changes in navigational aids. Consideration was also give to a Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) recommendation following the grounding of the Rena that Maritime NZ collect data on shipping movements around the New Zealand coast, and monitor and control the use of virtual aids to navigation around the New Zealand coast.

Pacifica Shipping, New Zealand's coastal shipping company, is launching a new container vessel from March replacing a smaller vessel whose charter has ended, reports The Stuff. The Spirit of Canterbury would provide greater capacity for customers including reefer cargo and replace the Spirit of Independence whose charter ended in December, says Steven Chapman, CEO of Pacifica. The Spirit of Canterbury will have 1100 container capacity, 57 per cent more than the vessel it replaces. It would offer a dedicated weekly service from Auckland to Lyttelton to Nelson to Tauranga and back to Auckland. The company was focused on having enough additional capacity, specifically from Nelson as part of the new export season.

NewZealand's KiwiRail says that the Interislander ferry Arahura has left Wellington for her scheduled bi-annual dry-docking in Devonport, having last visited Auckland in July 2012. Docking is being undertaken at the Devonport Dockyard under the management of Babcock’s New Zealand. The principal work relates to the vessel’s regulatory compliance regime, which requires machinery and propulsion equipment to be inspected and if necessary, repaired. Work to be carried out while the vessel is in dry dock  includes tail shaft removal, an overhaul of the propeller hub, and crack testing of all propeller blades and securing bolts. Arahura’s rail deck will undergo routine track maintenance which will be completed by the KiwiRail track maintenance team.

KiwiRail confirms that salvors Seaworks have successfully recovered the ferry Aratere’s propeller, which was lost from the ship when the shaft fractured on November 5, 2013 outside the Tory Channel. “The propeller was retrieved from a depth of around 120 meters and approximately two nautical miles from Tory Channel using strops that were fitted around the blades of the propeller and part of the shaft via a remote controlled underwater vehicle. The propeller was then secured to…

The propeller had been lost earlier this month from the Interislander ferry, the 'Aratere', which is expected to be out of service for 6 months as a result, but the propeller has now been found in Cook Strait by Seawork Salvage Co., contracted by KiwiRail, reports Radio New Zealand. The propeller was discovered about two nautical miles from Tory Channel, by using sonar equipment and an unmanned vehicle. Citing a Seawork spokesman, Radio NZ say that the company will probably use its survey vessel, the unmanned submarine [sic] and another ship to salvage the propellor.

Below is a list of recent vessel sales prepared by Shipping Intelligence, Inc. as of August 1, 2013. Sale prices are listed in millions USD. 7/29/13 - GREAT SUMMIT - 33,700 - 05/8 - $16.

Maritime New Zealand released the Cook Strait Ferry Review. The review was undertaken due to an increase in the number of marine casualties and near misses by ferries transiting Cook Strait. Concurrently with the review, bridge management training and other remedial measures have been undertaken. source: HK Law

The storm that lashed the lower North Island has caused wreckage from an old navy frigate sunk near Wellington last year, to be washed ashore. The former HMNZS Wellington was sold to the Sink F69 Trust, which sunk it about 500 meters off Island Bay – virtually in Cook Strait – on November 14. Prior to the sinking Island Bay man, some warned that the lightly built ship would break up very quickly and become a danger to divers, not the tourist and diving area the trust claimed it would be. Residents in the area found the ship’s wreckage, scattered along the length of the beach. The Wellington police about 4.45pm and notified them of the wreckage. A diving team would go down once the weather settled down and check out the wreckage. (Source: stuff.co.nz)

Maritime New Zealand stated that the former master of the Cook Strait ferry Aratere was convicted of failing to navigate the ferry in accordance with the collision regulations provision during a crossing situation. Source: HK Law

New Zealand rail and ferry operator Tranz Rail is canceling the winter schedule of its Cook Strait fast ferry service, the Lynx, from mid July. The service, using the leased catamaran the Condor 10, usually runs only in summer but was retained for weekend services over the winter in the absence of alternative work. The owners reportedly found a lease for the vessel on the U.S. East coast.