The Government has confirmed KiwiRail will operate New Zealand’s two new Cook Strait rail ferries, which will be named Kupe and Cook when they enter service in 2029.
Rail Minister Winston Peters announced the decision on Friday, saying KiwiRail’s long history operating the Interislander made it the right choice to run the new vessels.
“KiwiRail has run the Interislander since its inception in 1962, and in our book, experience counts,” Peters said.
The rail-enabled ferries are being built by Guangzhou Shipyard International in China to replace the ageing Interislander fleet. Each vessel will be about 200 metres long and able to carry up to 1,530 passengers, 70 crew and rail freight across Cook Strait.
Under the agreement, KiwiRail will operate the ferries for their planned 30-year lifespan, with the arrangement to be reviewed after the first 10 years in 2039.
The Government has reaffirmed its contribution to the programme will be capped at $1.7 billion. Peters said the project would save taxpayers an estimated $2.3 billion compared with the cancelled iReX project.
The new ferries will be supported by upgraded port infrastructure in Wellington and new infrastructure in Picton. CentrePort and Port Marlborough are contributing $100 million and $110 million respectively towards the work, while Ferry Holdings will fund $373 million of the Picton redevelopment.
Peters said the names reflected New Zealand’s maritime history.
“These are proper names. Historic names. New Zealand names.”
Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere criticised the announcement, saying the Government had delayed replacing the ferries after cancelling the previous iReX project.
The new ferries are expected to enter service in 2029.
