#Interislander
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backpackandsnorkel.bsky.social
The Interislander ferry between Wellington and Picton is a convenient way to travel between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. There are some watch-outs that you need to be important. Read it here. #NewZealand backpackandsnorkel.c...
October 3, 2026 at 3:35 PM
skipmccabe.bsky.social
Today, the first rail-enabled hybrid i-Rex ferry from a top shipmaker would have arrived. Instead, the Interislander was stranded.This gov has thrown away $700 million while buying less capable, smaller ships for $45 million more.
September 29, 2026 at 4:02 PM
nztransitbuzz.bsky.social
#FerryNews: The Interislander ferry Kaitaki returned to service on Saturday after the completion of major winter maintenance in Singapore.

Via RNZ: www.rnz.co.nz/news/regions...
Kaitaki Interislander ferry returns after winter maintenance in Singapore
The Interislander ferry Kaitaki will return to service on Saturday after the completion of major winter maintenance in Singapore.
www.rnz.co.nz
September 27, 2026 at 1:59 AM
rcnworldwidemedia.bsky.social
Ferry 'Perfect Storm' Fails to Arrive
rcnnewzealand.blogspot.com/2026/09/ferr...
Ferry 'Perfect Storm' Fails to Arrive
Rail Minister Winston Peters confirmed Interislander will soon be back to its full complement of vessels ahead of the busier spring and summ...
rcnnewzealand.blogspot.com
September 25, 2026 at 8:03 PM
radionz.nzcow.com
📢 The Interislander ferry Kaitaki will return to service on Saturday after the completion of major winter maintenance in Singapore.
Kaitaki Interislander ferry returns after winter maintenance in Singapore
www.rnz.co.nz
September 25, 2026 at 5:23 AM
umlegacypress.com
Kaitaki Interislander ferry returns after winter maintenance in Singapore

The return of Kaitaki will see Interislander resume a two-ship timetable.
Kaitaki Interislander ferry returns after winter maintenance in Singapore
The return of Kaitaki will see Interislander resume a two-ship timetable.
umlegacypressqsefc.com
September 25, 2026 at 5:18 AM
rnzrss.bsky.social
Kaitaki Interislander ferry returns after winter maintenance in Singapore
Kaitaki Interislander ferry returns after winter maintenance in Singapore
The Interislander ferry Kaitaki will return to service on Saturday after the completion of major winter maintenance in Singapore.
www.rnz.co.nz
September 25, 2026 at 4:55 AM
beehivenz.bsky.social
A new release is available from Rt Hon Winston Peters.
Ferry 'Perfect Storm' Fails to Arrive
Rail Minister Winston Peters confirmed Interislander will soon be back to its full complement of vessels ahead of the busier spring and summer months, following Kaitaki returning from scheduled dry-dock on Tuesday 21 September. Kaitaki will resume sailings tomorrow (Saturday 26 September).
www.beehive.govt.nz
September 25, 2026 at 3:43 AM
backpackandsnorkel.bsky.social
The Interislander ferry between Wellington and Picton is a convenient way to travel between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. There are some watch-outs that you need to be important. Read it here. #NewZealand backpackandsnorkel.c...
September 19, 2026 at 2:41 PM
mountaintui.bsky.social
Reminder: We would now have had future proof, high capacity, hybrid fuel, Interislander ferries if National &d NZ First hadn't cancelled it, throwing away ~$1 billion

Now NZ waits for 2 lower spec, more expensive ships & lesser quality ports that need national security checks #nzpol #kiwi
September 17, 2026 at 8:56 PM
commentsandopi2.bsky.social
About as likely and useful as our new interislander ferries
September 16, 2026 at 5:54 AM
fmacskasy.bsky.social
Luxon is an unmitigated hypocrite.He lambasts past govts for stop-go infrastructure projects - yet his own govt scrapped the iRex ferries project,costing taxpayers $671 million in break fees.

We would have those ferries by now.

Instead,we have to wait till 2029,and are relying on 1 Interislander!
September 13, 2026 at 9:09 PM
nztransitbuzz.bsky.social
#FerryNews: Interislander's Kaitaki is bound for New Zealand following a successful dry dock.

Interislander shared a photo of Kaitaki passing through the Flores Sea.
September 13, 2026 at 8:41 PM
lalamarmiteontoast.bsky.social
Oh just a reminder #nzpol
📣The Interislander service is currently still running only 1 ferry as the Kaitaki has been absent for deep maintenance & hull inspection in Singapore since 22 June!

Older ships need more maintenance.
To keep them going until 2029 it's costing an extra $180M
lalamarmiteontoast.bsky.social Lululamarmiteontoast @lalamarmiteontoast.bsky.social · 23d
#nzpol this is so frustrating they are so fucking short sighted just to score points against a previous government!

This is OUR infrastructure affecting OUR food chain & the movement our people, goods & produce between the two (major) islands of New Zealand! But sure $3.6 billion for 26km of road
A pic of an AI search regarding the costs of the Warkworth to Te Hana section of highway that the government has contracted into... The Government has finalised a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) contract for the Warkworth to Te Hana section—the flagship first stage of the Northland Expressway—at a total net present value of $3.649 billion.Because the project spans 26 kilometres of four-lane highway, the total cost breaks down to approximately $140.3 million per kilometre. Key Cost Details:The Funding Breakdown: The project is being delivered by the Northway consortium. To help cover construction, the government is providing a $1.6 billion 10-year loan to NZTA, with the remaining costs paid out via regular "unitary charge" payments over a 25-year operational period once the road opens. A continuation of the AI search results The Bigger Picture: The Warkworth to Te Hana stage is highly complex, requiring 15 bridges, twin 1km tunnels through the Dome Valley, and extensive stormwater engineering. While this first section is locked in, early strategy estimates for building out all three phases of the entire Northland Expressway corridor through to Whangārei sit around $22 billion in total. An AI search on the iRex project including all the upgrades for climate change and resilience not in pic The final expected cost of the entire Interisland Resilient Connection (iRex) project reached $3.1 billion according to KiwiRail, while Treasury and Cabinet officials warned the Government that the total would ultimately explode closer to $4 billion. Although the two low-carbon, rail-enabled ships themselves only cost a set $551 million, the massive remainder of the budget—roughly $2.6 billion—was entirely driven by the cost of upgrading the landside port infrastructure in Wellington and Picton. The 100-Year Future-Proofing Drivers. The driving force behind the multi-billion-dollar price tag was a strict requirement to future-proof the terminals and civil infrastructure for a 100-year design life, which caused massive scope creep due to several complex factors: Extreme Seismic Upgrades: Following heightened awareness after the Kaikōura earthquake, the landside infrastructure had to be heavily engineered to withstand massive tectonic activity in highly vulnerable, seismically challenging marine environments. Massive Scale Enhancements: Because the two new ships were significantly larger than the legacy fleet, the project required entirely new, scaled-up terminal buildings, larger jetties, civil roading, and extensive rail siding yards just to handle the immense freight volume. Climate & Environmental Resilience: The 100-year mandate required extensive stormwater infrastructure upgrades, culvert alterations, and sea-level rise mitigation to protect the Cook Strait supply line through the next century.Because of the multi-billion-dollar budget blowout, the Coalition Government ultimately cancelled the iRex project. The project was concluded after final settlement negotiations with the South Korean shipyard, costing taxpayers a total of $671 million for landside work already completed, project management, and contract exit fees. Further AI search re: current ferry replacement costs and expectations included in the Alt text are the figures not in the pic The replacement programme for the Cook Strait crossing is capped at a total cost of under $2 billion, with the direct Government contribution limited to $1.7 billion.The fixed-price contract for the two new rail-enabled ships is $596 million. The remaining budget goes toward target infrastructure upgrades, allocating $531 million for Picton, $325 million for Wellington, and $415 million for management and contingency A direct comparison of costs and specifications between the original iRex project and the replacement programme outlines the differences Total Estimated Cost $3.1 billion to $4 billion $1.86 billion Ship Contract Cost $551 million $596 million Design / Service Life100-year infrastructure now 30-year standard operational life for the vessels Landside Port Upgrades$2.6 billion+ for complete ground-up terminal overhauls $856 million combined for specific marine works Rail Integration Triple rail capacity (40 wagons per ship) Maintained rail-enablement scaled to practical lines The reduction in budget compared to the iRex projection was achieved by modifying the engineering requirements and planning horizons: Instead of a complete ground-up rebuild of both terminals to withstand maximum 100-year seismic and sea-level rise projections, the replacement plan focuses on upgrading the essential marine structures and berths. It retains existing terminal buildings, rail yards, and road layouts where they can still be utilised The project shifts from a century-long infrastructure mandate to a standard 30-year operational lifecycle for the new vessels, with a formal review scheduled for 2039 Environmental Specifications: The replacement ships feature modern energy-efficient designs to reduce emissions compared to the legacy fleet, but they alter the heavy dual-fuel design specifications that originally required larger terminal footprints
September 10, 2026 at 12:23 AM
feed.fyi.org.nz
[Clarification] David Palmer about Emissions information for Interislander ferries
September 7, 2026 at 10:24 PM
nztransitbuzz.bsky.social
#FerryNews: Union members on the Interislander ferries have given notice of partial industrial action after reaching an “impasse” over controversial new laws relating to personal grievances.

Via NZ Herald: www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/wellingto...
Fresh industrial action issued for Interislander with cargo loading, work callback ban
The industrial action won't affect passengers or any non-KiwiRail cargo.
www.nzherald.co.nz
September 3, 2026 at 11:09 PM
📢 The industrial action won't affect passengers or any non-KiwiRail cargo.

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Fresh industrial action issued for Interislander with cargo loading, work callback ban
www.nzherald.co.nz
September 3, 2026 at 8:55 PM
nztransitbuzz.bsky.social
#FerryNews: Interislander operations have undergone a massive operational shift with KiwiRail claiming mechanical reliability for the Cook Strait ferries reached 99.07% in the past financial year.

Via The Press: www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3610...
Interislander claims 99% reliability boost as major overhaul reduces mechanical breakdowns
The figure represents a major turnaround for the service, which has been plagued by mechanical failures, cancellations, and lost public trust over the past several years.
www.thepress.co.nz
September 3, 2026 at 8:38 PM
cardiokiwi.bsky.social
Cook Strait ferry early tomorrow. I booked with Bluebridge - with only 1 Interislander, I thought that there would be minimal rebooking options for a vehicle if a trip was cancelled. Bluebridge communication is less than the Interislander - will be interested to compare.
September 2, 2026 at 5:03 AM
christchurchlib.bsky.social
"Passing Comment From a Man Dressed in White Wearing Sunglasses Impatiently Pacing the Queue of Cars Waiting to Board the Interislander Ferry on a Hot Day in Picton, Delivered Through the Window on the Passenger's Side With All the Grace of An Unravelling Ham Sandwich"
Claudia Jardine 🏅
Biter — Christchurch City Libraries Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi
Biter — Jardine, Claudia — Filled with hickeys puttanesca and tart wit, Biter is an apt title for Claudia Jardine's debut collection of verse. Fresh translations of erotic Greek epigrams are threaded ...
christchurch.bibliocommons.com
August 27, 2026 at 11:02 PM
umlegacypress.com
Cook Strait ferry sailings cancelled due to heavy swells

Four Interislander sailings and one Bluebridge sailing have been cancelled on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Cook Strait ferry sailings cancelled due to heavy swells
Four Interislander sailings and one Bluebridge sailing have been cancelled on Tuesday and Wednesday.
umlegacypressqsefc.com
August 17, 2026 at 6:32 PM
lalamarmiteontoast.bsky.social
Don't worry we haven't forgotten down here
We only have one Interislander ferry running right now because the Kaitaki is in Singapore
Between 2026 & 2028 there are expected to be 259 days when the Interislander service is down to single ferry status due to PLANNED maintenance
The older they get etc
August 17, 2026 at 3:39 AM
feed.fyi.org.nz
[Response] KiwiRail replied about General Arrangement plans for the Interislander ferries "Arahanga" and "Arahura"
August 16, 2026 at 8:23 AM
cloventt.net
Impossible not to edit this photo in the news
Screenshot of an article in The Press. The headline is “The age of outrage: Are we becoming more polarised?”. There is a photo captioned “Minister for Rail Winston Peters announcing last month that the two new Interislander ferries will be called Kupe and Cook.” Winston is standing at a lectern in front a blue projector with the name of a new Ferry “Cook” that has been edited to say “Cooker”
August 15, 2026 at 10:38 PM
kevinhague.bsky.social
And - for anyone who doesn’t often use the ferries - Interislander has been down to a single ferry for months. I have switched to Bluebridge. Don’t know if I will switch back if Kaitaki ever comes back
August 15, 2026 at 8:25 PM