Bluebridge ferry the Connemara berthing at Picton wharf, helped by a tug, after earlier hitting the wharf while attempting to berth. Photo: RNZ/Anthony Phelps
The Transport Minister has agreed to an urgent meeting with the head of Wellington's Port to discuss emergency towing options for Cook Strait following a Bluebridge ferry losing power.
Nearly three weeks ago the Connemara lost power after leaving Wellington, seeing it drift for more than two hours before it was towed back into the capital by tugs.
After the high sea power outage, CentrePort CEO Anthony Delaney and Greater Wellington Regional Council CEO Nigel Corry penned a letter to the transport minister and finance minister.
It stated that while CentrePort had been responding to recent shipping events to the best of their abilities with safety of people at the forefront, they are not set up to be "a 24/7 marine emergency first responder".
The CEOs said by responding to these marine accidents it created the risk of disruption to their business.
These risks included stopping port operations whilst tugs are responding to an event, potentially closing their port if tugs were damaged and delaying work to allow staff to rest after an incident.
The pair said with the number of ship incidents increasing in recent years they need assurance that a business case to look at emergency marine response capability for the Cook Strait will come up with a solution rather than "another business case process".
The $600,000 business case was funded in Budget 2024 to explore options and costs for emergency towing capability between the North and South Islands.
It comes after a year of lobbying to both the previous and current government by Greater Wellington Regional Council and Marlborough District Council highlighting the need for out of port tugs.
The port and regional council heads want a urgent meeting with ministers clarifying the status of the business case and to understand ways to mitigate risks to CentrePort as a result of responding to marine accidents.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has told RNZ he will be accepting the invitation and that work on the business case is under way.
Brown said recent Cook Strait maritime incidents are concerning for him as minister of transport.
