The power loss of the Bluebridge ferry Connemara in the Cook Strait last night highlights the importance of a resilient publicly-owned interisland ferry service, says the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ).

MUNZ National Secretary Carl Findlay says this issue with the Bluebridge service alongside other previous issues demonstrates the need for high-quality and fit for purpose ferries on the strait. 

“Once again it’s just been a matter of the quick thinking of a highly skilled crew and good luck with the conditions that there has been a safe recovery of the vessel and people aboard.

“We can’t keep relying on luck. Cook Strait is the most critical route for New Zealand’s freight transport system and it needs to be resilient. That means public owned and rail enabled ferries that are reliable, safe, and fit for purpose. 

“It’s worth noting that the Connemara is much newer than the ships run by Kiwirail and was built by the provider rumoured to be the Government’s frontrunner for new interislander ferries, StenaLine. 

“Just last month the shareholding Minister, Nicola Willis, was in Parliament touting the benefits of private ferries. This shows once again how wrong-headed that statement and her decision to cancel the iRex project was. 

“It’s getting close to a year without a decision or even the final negotiation of the iReX cancellation that is likely to cost us hundreds of millions of dollars. 

“The government needs to swallow its pride and go back to Hyundai to negotiate the iReX deal.

“It’ll cost us more now because of this government’s rash decision to cancel the original deal but nowhere near as much as how much a failed ferry system will cost our freight customers, our economy, and the safety of our crews and passengers.”