The Aratere will make its final journey across Cook Strait later this month, KiwiRail has confirmed.
The ship’s final voyage would depart from Picton at 11am on August 18 2025.
Its retirement comes as the Interislander ferry Kaiārahi was expected to return to service the same day after finishing its drydock maintenance in Singapore.
“Freshly painted and with its hull cleaned, and a comprehensive maintenance schedule achieved, the ship is running well and currently making good progress towards Wellington,” a KiwiRail spokesperson said.
The Aratere had faced problems since it entered service in the 90s.
Among the more notable troubles was a February 1999 voyage where the ship was left adrift due to several power failures.
In July 2003, it collided with a fishing vessel.
Four passengers and one crew member suffered minor injuries when rail and vehicular cargo shifted during heavy weather in March 2006, resulting in a 5-degree list all the way to Picton.
In November 2013, it limped back to Picton after a fatigue fracture caused its propeller to break off.
In February 2023, the ship briefly broke down and was left adrift in the middle of the Cook Strait.
More recently, in June 2024, the Aratere ran aground near Picton. The steering autopilot had been engaged, and staff had been unable to switch it off, an investigation found.
No one was injured, and the vessel was refloated two days afterwards, with damage to its bow that required repair.
A private farewell for the crew would be held early next month.
‘Significant milestone’ ahead of upgraded fleet
The Aratere’s retirement would also allow for work on necessary port infrastructure upgrades, as its wharf in Picton is being demolished as part of the new rail-enabled ferry project.
Rail Minister Winston Peters announced at the end of March that two new Cook Strait ferries would enter service in 2029, featuring rail decks and the capacity for 40 wagons.
The Aratere’s design required specialised wharf infrastructure to load and unload, including integrated rail tracks, which meant it could not use Interislander’s other berths.
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Interislander executive general manager Duncan Roy said the ship’s retirement marked a “significant milestone” ahead of Kiwirail’s move to a more modern fleet.
“This is the start of our preparation for the new ships, and while it will have some impact on capacity on Cook Strait until they arrive, we will make it as smooth as possible for our passengers and freight customers. No booking changes are required for freight customers or passengers as a new two-ship timetable is already in place,” he said.
“The capacity of the two new ferries will be larger than our current fleet of three ships, so while this change is challenging, it’s a necessary step towards a more efficient and sustainable future,” Roy said.
“As always, we encourage customers planning to travel during the peak summer season to book early and be flexible with their travel times.”
To support its rail freight operations, Interislander would use “road bridging”, where freight is moved by trailer onto its vessels and reconnected with trains at the other end.
“Significant preparation has already gone into super-charging this operation – including bringing in new equipment, recruiting and training new staff and fine-tuning our rail freight handling processes,” Roy said.
“Our transition timetable optimises the additional time needed for road bridging to ensure all rail freight will be serviced at the levels our rail freight customers need and expect. This has already been factored into current bookings.
“We are still considering options for the sale of Aratere after retirement, and the vessel will be laid up at its Wellington berth while we work with a shipbroker.”
