New Zealand Ferry News: Interislander signs contract with Korean shipyard to replace aging fleet
c: Kiwi Rail - ship rendering
KiwiRail and Korean shipyard Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) signed a binding contract to deliver two new state-of-the-art ferries, with the first arriving in 2025 and the second in 2026.
The contract for the two ferries — worth $551 million — was signed after years of research and planning, which has led to negotiations with the shipyard over the past four months.
“KiwiRail has been working on the ferry upgrade project for years, and signing this contract with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard is an important day for us at KiwiRail and our shipping operation, Interislander.”
Interislander operates about 3,800 ferry services annually, transporting approximately 850,000 passengers, 250,000 cars and billions of dollars in freight.
“With the aging fleet of vessels nearing the end of their working lives, this replacement program is becoming time-critical, so it is good that we are now able to move forward with the next phase of the design and construction of the two new ferries, and the required port infrastructure,” Miller said.
The ferries are expected to contribute to a “40 percent reduction in carbon emissions at Interislander once commissioned” and will be “future-proof” to provide further carbon reductions over time.
The company says it will also offer more options for onboard services including accommodation, entertainment, food and beverages.
The two rail-equipped ferries, when fully operational, will be able to carry nearly twice the current number of passengers, commercial vehicles and passenger cars.
Rail freight capacity will triple. Currently, the rail-equipped Interislander ferry can carry a maximum of 27 vehicles equivalent to sixty feet per sail. The two new rail-equipped ships will be able to carry 40 vehicles, the equivalent of sixty feet per vessel, on up to three return trips each day – a 300 percent increase in capacity at peak.
Interislander says the terminal’s infrastructure at Kaiwharawhara, Wellington, and Waitohi Picton, will be improved as part of a $1.45 billion ferry upgrade project to meet modern standards and accommodate new ferries.
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