24 Jun 2024

KiwiRail on Aratere ferry grounding

From Morning Report, 7:09 am on 24 June 2024

Aratere - the Interislander ferry that ran aground in Picton Harbour on Friday - is now docked in Picton. And it's still not clear what exactly happened to the ship's steering. It will stay in Picton until Maritime New Zealand and KiwiRail are sure it's safe to move. Another Interislander vessel is undergoing routine maintenance this week, meaning only one ferry - Kaitaki - is operating. Kiwirail's shareholding ministers - Nicola Willis and Paul Goldsmith - declined to come on the program, so did Kiwirail's chief executive Peter Reidy. The executive general manager of Interislander, Duncan Roy spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.