Confusion around the future of KiwiRail’s Cook Strait ferries has left New Zealand ‘steering blind’ with its main inter island transport link, says the Maritime Union. 

The latest development in the ferry saga is a suggestion in ministerial documents that KiwiRail might exit the Cook Strait ferries altogether if it is commercially unviable without subsidy. 

Briefing documents from the Ministerial Advisory Group and Ministry of Transport have been released to the media under the Official Information Act.

Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison says this scenario is deeply concerning and shows the Government has dropped the ball on transport. 

Mr Harrison says he is surprised no one in the Government could foresee the consequences of cancelling iRex project funding last year.

“Within a few months we have gone from looking forward to modern ferries and fit for purpose terminals that would support our economy and producers for decades, to the future of interisland transport and everyone who relies on it being in free fall.”

He says while Strait Shipping currently offer ferry services that complement KiwiRail ferries, the scenario of putting the entire connection in the hands of a single overseas-owned monopoly would be a grave error, and would probably not be viable.

“The idea there is some magic market solution is not credible, because any operator will still have to source and pay for suitable vessels.”

He says the primary focus of interisland ferries should be their importance in the supply chain and the national economy, which included rail capability.