New Interislander ferries can use batteries and possibly hydrogen

KiwiRail has formally signed a $551 million contract with Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard to build two new Interislander ferries which will replace the existing three aging vessels.

The first of the two new Cook Strait ferries will arrive in 2025 and the second in 2026, delivering major improvements in KiwiRail’s performance including contributing to a 40% reduction in the Interislander’s carbon emissions. 

They will be using battery power for manoeuvring and are also “future-proofed” so more batteries can be added later and they can be modified to run on low-carbon fuels like hydrogen.

KiwiRail group chief executive Greg Miller says the state-of-the-art vessels will be a “game-changer” for New Zealand.,

“KiwiRail has been working on the ferry upgrade project for years and signing this contract with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard is a momentous day for us at KiwiRail and our shipping operation, the Interislander. 

 “The new ferries will ensure a safe and resilient rail and passenger service between the North and South Islands, which is a vital part of the economy and a key part of New Zealand’s supply chain, transport and tourism infrastructure,” he says.

Interislander operates around 3800 ferry services a year, transporting about 850,000 passengers, 250,000 cars and billions of dollars worth of freight with significant growth predicted.

“With an ageing fleet of ships coming to the end of their working lives, this replacement programme had become time critical, so it’s great news that we are now able to move ahead with the next stage of design and the build of the two new ferries, and required port infrastructure,” Miller says.

The two, rail-enabled ferries, when running at full operating capacity, will be able to carry nearly double the number of passengers, and commercial and passenger vehicles when compared with the current fleet.

Rail freight capacity will triple.

Also forming part of the $1.45 billion ferry upgrade project, the terminal infrastructure at Kaiwharawhara in Wellington and Waitohi Picton will be improved to meet modern standards and to accommodate the new ferries when they arrive.