New Zealand: The Interislander ferry 'Aratere' returned to full operation in mid-November, having briefly been unable to provide cargo service and being barred from carrying passengers for 14 days by Maritime New Zealand (MNZ).
Since undergoing a NZ$53.8 million (US$41.8 million) refurbishment and 30-metre extension in Singapore, the vessel has been plagued by issues, culminating in it losing engine power outside Tory Channel on October 31. Apologising for the disruption, Interislander general manager Thomas Davis said trials subsequently conducted under observation by classification society Det Norske Veritas had verified the reliability and stability of the Aratere's engines and propulsion systems.
On November 28, the vessel was involved in another unrelated incident, when a bollard it was moored to in Picton was ripped from the wharf and catapulted into its bow. The exact cause of the incident is yet to be established, though strong winds are thought to be a contributory factor, and the vessel had to undergo repair work to the bow dent when it returned to Wellington.
Iain MacIntyre
