Maritime NZ Director Kirstie Hewlett:
We are pleased the Interislander ferry, the Aratere , has been safely towed from the beach at Titoki Bay, near Picton.
It was re-floated at about 9 PM, 22 July.
When it arrives in Picton, Maritime NZ inspectors will place the Aratere under a detention order. This will enable Maritime NZ to work closely with Aratere's Classification Society and KiwiRail to understand what has occurred, and what action needs to happen, before the vessel
is able to move safely again and can be released.
Our investigators will also tomorrow start an investigation into the grounding. They will carry out interviews, examine
the scene and ferry, review documents and gather evidence. We will then decide what, if any, further action to take. The
investigation is expected to take several months to complete.
Maritime NZ wants to thank those who were involved with safely removing the ferry from Titoki Bay, and for the
collaborative approach shown by KiwiRail, the Harbourmaster and Port of Marlborough.