By
Rebecca Gibson |
Interislander, a subsidiary of KiwiRail, has renewed its lease of the Kaitaki ferry, allowing it to operate the vessel for a further four years at a cost of £3.75 million per annum.
The vessel, which is owned by Irish Continental Group, was originally leased to Interislander for a five-year period in 2005, with the option of a three-year extension until 30 June 2013.
The new agreement becomes effective from 1 July 2013 and expires in July 2017. Interislander also has the option to extend the charter for a period of three years from July 2017 at a reduced rate.
“Kaitaki has been our flagship since her arrival in 2005 and is the largest passenger ferry in New Zealand,” said Thomas Davis, general manager of Interislander. “The last two summers have been the busiest ever for Kaitaki, and with the growth in popularity of our Kaitaki Plus luxury lounge and anticipated future demand, we are confident we are making the right move in keeping the ship with Interislander.”
The 1,650-passenger vessel, which was formerly the Isle of Innisfree, operates on the Picton-Wellington route on the Cook Strait.