Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2021

7 6 A vital lifeline FEATURE: STATE OF THE FERRY INDUSTRY W hen the Covid-19 pandemic struck in March 2020, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern encouraged the nation to come together as a ‘team of five million’ and enter one of the world’s strictest lockdowns to swiftly supress cases and stop the spread of the virus. State-owned transport operator KiwiRail and its ferry brand Interislander played a crucial role in the country’s emergency response, transporting hundreds of key workers between the North and South Islands to ensure all New Zealanders had continued access to food, essential supplies and medical care. “We very quickly worked to keep goods and people moving between islands, even during the lockdown,” says Walter Rushbrook, executive general manager at Interislander. “We’re really proud of how Interislander and KiwiRail came together to support Aotearoa New Zealand’s ‘team of five million’ – it’s highlighted the important role we play in supporting the nation’s economy.” Since the lockdown lifted, Interislander’s ferry services have remained in high demand with locals. “We’ve seen more New Zealanders taking time to explore their own backyard while the restrictions on international travel have been in place,” says Rushbrook. “This increased demand for domestic travel, including journeys across Cook Strait on Interislander, has also been driven by our own marketing efforts and those of the local tourism bodies. We hope – and would expect – to see New Zealanders continuing to enjoy all that our country has to offer even as our borders slowly reopen.” To ensure that Interislander’s Cook Strait service remains a vital lifeline for passengers and freight customers long into the future, KiwiRail is constructing its first new purpose-built ferries in more than 20 years. Designed by Danish naval architecture firm OSK-ShipTech, the two rail-enabled vessels will be built at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea and are expected to enter service in 2025 and 2026. They will be designed to operate using different energy sources but will initially rely on battery power when docking and local shore power facilities while berthed in port. This will make them more efficient than the three vessels they will be replacing Walter Rushbrook explains how the crucial role Interislander played in New Zealand’s emergency response to the pandemic has helped to cement its future in the ferry industry New Zealanders are returning to Interislander’s ferries now that travel restrictions have eased