Christmas 2029: Two New Interislander Ferries for New Zealand
Big news from Minister Winston Peters: New Zealand is set to welcome two new state-of-the-art Interislander ferries by Christmas 2029, offering a crucial upgrade to Cook Strait transport – for both passengers and freight.
This is a politically sensitive project, following the cancellation of the iReX programme and the decision to build two new ferries at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard.
Key takeaways of the new project:
- RoPax train ferries, 200m LOA, 28m wide (longer and wider than current fleet, but smaller than iRex)
- Capacity for 1,500 passengers, 2,400 lane metres of RoRo deck, and 40 rail wagons
- Cost-effective infrastructure: existing terminals will be reused wherever possible, with smarter upgrades in Picton and Wellington
- A focus on affordability, reliability, and simplicity – a more pragmatic approach compared to the cancelled iReX project
- The road and rail marshalling yards will be modestly modified, not completely rebuilt as previously planned
- The terminal buildings in both Wellington and Picton will remain as they are today
Quotes
“While some may regret the absence of a Taj Mahal in Picton and the Sydney Opera House in Wellington, the people paying their taxes will not.”
Minister Winston Peters
Next steps: the Ferry Holdings Ltd board will shortlist shipyards to compete on price and quality, with a ferry contract awarded later this year. Ferry Holdings will also work with Port Marlborough, CentrePort and KiwiRail to finalise the scope, progress engineering, strengthen the delivery programme and agree co-funding terms.
Speech delivered by Minister for Rail Winston Peters in the Legislative Council Chamber, Parliament, to media at the announcement of the decision on the future of the interisland ferries: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/rail-ferries-and-straightforward-infrastructure
