ABB has been selected to supply the power, propulsion and automation systems for New Zealand’s two new rail-enabled RoPax ferries, KUPE and COOK.
The 200-metre vessels will be built by Guangzhou Shipyard International and delivered to government-owned Ferry Holdings Limited in 2029. They will accommodate 1,530 passengers and offer 2,400 lane metres of freight capacity.
Each ferry will feature a fuel-agnostic hybrid-electric power plant, two Azipod propulsion units and an 8.2 MWh battery system. The battery capacity can subsequently be increased to 12.3 MWh and adapted for shore charging. Battery power will support near-zero-emission harbour operations.
The ferries will operate on the 92-kilometre Wellington–Picton route and allow rail freight to be loaded directly aboard. They will provide 63% more passenger capacity and 44% more freight capacity than the vessels they replace.
