Auckland Ferry services will get a new operator. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The new operator of some of Auckland's major ferry routes says it is committed to delivering a reliable service for commuters.
From October, Explore Group will take over the Bayswater and Birkenhead/Te Onewa Northcote Point ferry routes.
They will take over the three routes abandoned by previous ferry operator Fullers360.
Managing director William Goodfellow said they are up for the task.
"With whatever we do, we always try and do it the right way.
"We think we're putting in the right gear that's going to give us a really robust, reliable service, and we're committed to seeing that through."
Auckland Transport's Stacey Van Der Putten told Checkpoint that the service will be reliable.
"We're very, very confident that we'll have a good, reliable service again."
"We're very grateful that we've managed to get to that point."
Between 30 to 35 services would be run on weekdays and about a dozen on weekends.
The service could ramp up depending on demand, she said.
"Fares will stay exactly the same as they're paying today."
Fullers360 had to cancel many of its services due to lack of staff over the last year or two, but Van Der Putten said Explore believes they can meet expectations.
"They've confirmed they have the staff to be able to operate and have some resilience too."
Van Der Putten said if Explore did not meet performance targets, there could be penalties of some kind.
The contract is only until June 2025, and Auckland Transport would need to go to market to procure the service for the longer term.
Goodfellow said Explore Group hoped to increase their ferry services in future.
"We want to make sure that we're super reliable, and that we can fulfil what we say we're going to do, so in time we have full intentions to increase the service."
Goodfellow said they would be temporarily deploying the Discovery IV from their fleet in the Bay of Islands before bringing a near new vessel from their Australian operation to run in Auckland.
Auckland councillor Richard Hills said he was glad Auckland Transport had been able to find a new operator for the routes
He said there had been some concern around the future of the service.
"A lot of people thought those services would cease to exist, but we were really keen, and AT were really keen to get an operator."
"We thought it would be cutting it fine, to get by the crossover of the 1st of October, but we've got that sorted so it's really exciting for those communities."
Hills believed the community's advocacy for ferry services helped in securing a new operator.
