The move is to enable redevelopment at its bespoke dock in Picton, ahead of two new, larger ferries entering service in 2029.
KiwiRail chief customer and growth officer Adele Wilson told RNZ’s Morning Report programme today that there would be trade-offs.
“It’s important to be very real about that. At peak times we already sellout across the [Cook] Strait and there will be more sold-out days.
“The other thing that New Zealanders need to be aware of is that as they’ve previously been able to travel in very popular time gates, such as eight o’clock in the morning from Wellington, not everybody will be able to do that over this transition period.
“People will have to travel in the afternoon sailings and in the 8pm sailings. Some people, if you really need a date, may even have to go on the 2.30am [sailing].”
Some people won’t be able to get the traditional days they have travelled either, Wilson said.
“There are going to be some trade-offs and there are going to be some new ways of travelling that people have to adjust to.”
Wilson said the ship’s retirement was not because of any issues with it.
“The Aratere has very specialised loading equipment and when that wharf is not available, the Aratere can’t actually operate, so nothing to do with the ship. This is about the construction project.”
A temporary wharf was not viable and came at a very high cost of $120 million, she said.
“That amount of money is just not affordable.”
The Aratere can hold 650 passengers, 230 cars and 28 rail wagons.
Disruptions caused by the ship’s retirement were regrettable but essential, Rail Minister Winston Peters told Morning Report.
“We have to shut down that port which has been used by rail-enabled ferry the Aratere, to fix it.”
Peters said this would keep the costs down and make the work needed to prepare for the new ferries go faster.
It was the right decision for rail long term, he said, through acknowledged there would be some job losses.
