Two new ferries will begin carrying trains, vehicles, and passengers across Cook Strait in 2029, Rail Minister Winston Peters announced today.
The ferries will each hold up to 40 rail wagons, 1,500 passengers, and have 2.4 km of lanes for trucks and cars.
Cabinet agreed on the project earlier this morning. Peters said it would be much cheaper than the previous government’s $3 billion plan, which was cancelled late last year. The government will reuse existing port facilities wherever possible to save money.
The new ferries will be about 200 metres long and 28 metres wide. They’ll include special decks for trains, allowing easier loading and unloading with fewer movements. This makes shipping faster and more efficient.
Only the marine infrastructure in Picton will be fully replaced. In Wellington, the existing docks will be upgraded rather than rebuilt. Peters said this is a more cost-effective option.
Officials plan to choose a shipbuilder by the end of this year. Work on preparing the ports is expected to begin in late 2025. The government hopes the project will be fully underway before 2026.
The previous ferry plan involved building large ships in South Korea, but that project was cancelled due to rising costs. Some critics, including the Labour Party, say the new plan lacks detail, especially around how much it will cost.
