Ferry passenger services up and running

Media Release

18 November 2016

Ferry passenger services up and running

The Picton Passenger Terminal has re-opened and foot passengers are now able to be booked for sailings across Cook Strait.

Some of the first to benefit from this were 300 Wellington school children returning from the South Island.

“KiwiRail staff are working really hard to keep New Zealand moving. The return of services that enable passengers and freight to move easily around the South Island in the wake of the Kaikoura earthquake is an important step in making that happen,” KiwiRail Chief Executive Peter Reidy says.

“Interislander services, a vital link in the New Zealand logistics network, are expected to be operating at full capacity early next week.

“Our staff have been working closely with Port Marlborough, which owns the terminal, to get it open again. Final risk assessments to make sure the building is safe to load and discharge by foot were completed this morning and it has been cleared for restricted use only.”

Immediately after Monday’s earthquake Picton’s terminal building was shut until engineers could complete their assessments because of the damage it sustained. That meant there were no facilities for foot passengers to check in, and be loaded safely onto the ships though foot passengers could still be carried from Wellington to Picton.

© Scoop Media