Page 14 — MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012 The Marlborough Express FERRY TALE CELEBRATION

Interislander ranks with the Beehive and Edmonds Cookery book INNOVATION IN A CHALLENGING Interislander This year we celebrate 50 years of moving These days, Interislander’s three ferries has become a freight and passengers across Cook Strait. Kaitaki, Aratere and Arahura make around ENVIRONMENT true Kiwi symbol. On 13 August 1962 the rst ferry to link the 4,500 sailings a year carrying some 785,000 Not many New North and South Island started a once-a-day When Aramoana passengers, 52,000 rail wagons, 72,000 trucks went into service in Zealanders can say they return service. In her rst year of service the and 210,000 cars. 1962 she changed the have not travelled on the ferry at least once. Aramoana carried 207,000 passengers, 46,000 nature of inter-island The service has become so well known, it cars and 181,000 tonnes of freight. This equates to over 231 thousand nautical transport. sea miles a year. That’s a lot or miles, a lot of Roll-on-roll-off featured as the ‘I’ on The ‘A to Z of New Zealand’ In the intervening years, she and her vessels made it stamp series in 2008 along with the Beehive, successors have carried more than 35 passengers and as our customers tell us, a lot possible for rail Edmonds and the Haka. million people. of great experiences. wagons and vehicles to be loaded directly onto the ship and off again at destination. It was a step change in meeting the needs of the supply chain and it came at a time when the flow of freight, particularly from Cook-Strait ferries changed the nature of shipping in New Zealand north to south, was accelerating. Aramoana was also a considerable The introduction of the first Cook giant P&O, The Union Company was the Brothers Ltd of Dumbarton on the Clyde passengers, 46,000 motor vehicles and 60,000 passengers and only 14,000 tonnes advance in moving people in the age before Strait ferry Aramoana in 1962, introduced major player on the New Zealand coast was successful, possibly as a result of their 181,000 tonnes of freight. of freight in her last year. budget airline tickets and at a time when the concept of roll-on-roll-off freight and the trans-Tasman route. long association with Union Steam Ship The numbers were double the target The new service was immediately New Zealand’s appeal as a tourism and changed the nature of shipping in Historian Gavin Mclean in his history Company vessels. set and in the case of passengers, more profitable. In 1967 by the time the second destination was growing. New Zealand. of the New Zealand Shipping Federation Interestingly, Aramoana was the last than double. By comparison, Tamahine ferry Aranui was in service, the profit for Providing a service across Cook Strait is Previously, ships had been loaded and says the Union Company's short- ship to be built at the yard before it closed. had carried the year was almost half a million pounds. all about relevance. It’s a matter of providing unloaded using cranes. Having road and sightedness in not introducing a more The ship was to cost approximately four what customers want when they want it, rail cargo loaded directly dramatically modern replacement opened Federation million pounds and be delivered in as far as the vagaries of weather, sea and a reduced turn-around times and costs. members up to the risk of their arch-rival, May 1962. rugged coastline allow. “The arrival of Aramoana was one of New Zealand Railways, running a roll- Aramoana was launched on 24 One thing that hasn’t changed in 50 years the most significant events in the nation’s on-roll-off ferry. November 1961 and entered Wellington is the physical challenge that Cook Strait transport history,” says Ray Munro, a “It was a fatal mistake,” he says. harbour on schedule. provides. Changeable weather, treacherous railwayman who was one of the central “Within little more than a decade, almost At the time, there were plenty of seas and an unforgiving coastline have tested figures in setting up the original Rail all general cargo travelling between the doubters that a roll-on-roll-off vessel the skills and endurance of masters and crew. Road Ferry office and accepted the first islands would switch from conventional would be successful. Hugh Jones was the We owe a considerable debt to the bookings for Aramoana. coasters to Aramoana and her fleet mates.” Marine Department naval architect who dedication and skills of our crews who do “For the first time, a vehicle or railway The Union Company’s decisiondesigned Aramoana. their best to provide comfortable and safe wagons could be driven aboard a ship triggered an enquiry by the Cook Strait “The media said the whole thing crossings for our customers, regardless of in one island and driven off in the other Transport Enquiry Committee in 1958. was a ‘red herring’,” he recalls. “In their the weather. without having its load disturbed.” It considered a number of options, view, if the Union Steam Ship Company The 50th anniversary also gives us an He said the service dramatically including improving the air link for freight couldn’t make the service pay, Railways opportunity to acknowledge the support stimulated inter-island traffic and South between Blenheim and Wellington. But in definitely couldn’t. of the commercial vehicle operators and Island tourism while it also sealed the fate the end, the committee decided that a roll- “People said it wasn’t going to work. passengers who have been loyal customers of conventional coastal freighters. on-roll-off ferry service, operating daily When Aramoana arrived, either the over the years, and without whom, there Aramoana was the result of a decision except for Sundays, was the best option. Dominion or the Evening Post described would be no Interislander. by the Union Steam Ship Company in In March 1960, world-wide tenders her as the ‘ugliest ship in the world’, ” 1957 not to replace the ageing Tamahine were invited to build the first rail ferry. But the so-called “ugly duckling” Thomas Davis General Manager, Interislander on the Wellington-Picton route. Twenty-four tenders were received. proved the doubters wrong. In her first The magic moment. Transport Minister John McAlpine cuts the ribbon to allow Owned since 1917 by British shipping The Scottish firm, William Denny and year of service, the ship carried 207,000 vehicles to drive off Aramoana at the end of her first commercial sailing in August 1962. FERRY FACTS No time lost extending inter-island agnicent twele ferry eet beyond Aramoana Eight conventional and four fast ferries Before Aramoana had completed her Aramoana had been withdrawn from have sailed on Cook Strait in the colours of first year’s service, the planning began for service in March 1983. Arahura’s arrival New Zealand Railways, SeaRail, Interisland a sister ship. enabled Aranui to be withdrawn in June Line and the Interislander. Named Aranui – in Maori “great 1984. In the 1990s, the need to replace pathway” – the new vessel entered service ageing ferries became the main driver Last orders on 9 June 1966. for fleet management. By 1990,Arahanga Arahanga was Arahanga, “the bridge” broke new had been in service 18 years and Aratika the last passenger ground as a mainly cargo ferry, although 16 years. ship to be built by she could carry 40 passengers. The answer wasAratere , “quick path” the famous Clyde- Aratika, “direct path” was built in built for Tranz Rail in 1998 by Spanish side shipyard France at a cost of $8.8 million. She ship-builders Astillero Barreras at a cost of John Brown and Company, builder of was similar to Arahanga in size and of $132 million. She came into service in such famous ships as the Queen Mary and speed and was also intended to mainly 1999, replacing Aratika. Queen Elizabeth. carry cargo. But two years after entering Arahanga remained in service service, she was given a $7 million refit to for another two years. When she was Air supply accommodate 800 passengers as well as withdrawn, her commercial vehicle cargo One of the stranger episodes in the history cars and rail wagons. role was filled for almost three years by Aratere of Cook Strait ferry services was the use of Arahura, “pathway to dawn” entered the chartered vessel Purbeck. Last year’s extension of the was one of the most ambitious projects in the history of the interisland service. service in December 1983 as the flagship By 2005, Toll New Zealand was The ship went to Singapore’s Sembawang shipyard in late April 2011 for an extension that would take six months to aircraft to move passengers and vehicles when of the fleet. She was bigger, faster and operating the interislander ferry services. complete and add 30 percent to the ship’s capacity. The work also included a new bow and new stern being fitted, sailings were halted by industrial action. Aratere’s more comfortable than her predecessors The company chartered the 181-metre improvements to the propulsion system and to the passenger accommodation. The new mid-body doubled Airforce Hercules and SAFEAIR Bristol and included innovations such as a heli- long Challenger, renamed Kaitaki, to passenger capacity to 600, added 28 percent more rail lane metres and a greater uplift in tonnes, as well as 32 percent Freighters operated between Blenheim and more commercial vehicle space enabling the ship to carry another 12 to 14 trucks. pad, sophisticated navigational aids and carry vehicles and passengers but not Wellington six times between 1969 and 1983. stabiliser fins to make crossings smoother. rail wagons. Mission unaccomplished Aramoana went to the aid of the stricken the vessel and then hung on for dear life Lyttelton-Wellington ferry Wahine in Fast ferries as its speed increased. 1968 but was unable to provide material Buck stops with the Master on the bridge The “ferry wars” broke out when help because of the strength of the storm Christchurch businessman and original Responsibility for the efficient and He’s had his own hand on the tiller of brought speed, and the difficulty of lifting people from safe sailing of ferries rests with one person history, taking Aratere to Singapore last Pacifica Shipping founder Brook the water. – the master. year for her 30-metre extension. colour and drama McKenzie formed Sea Shuttles NZ in In the early days of the Cook Strait While masters are expected to be mid-1994 and announced his intention to Strait ‘life-boats’ ferry service, Masters worked for the conservative in their judgement, some to Cook strait introduce a fast ferry to Cook Strait. Union Company under an agreement have earned colourful nicknames, none The new owner of the ferry business, Cook Strait ferries are with Railways. That agreement ended in more so than Captain Adam Gullen Tranz Rail responded to the challenge by known as the “life-boats 1971 and later masters, like Aratere’s Mike who became “Gale Force Gullen” after a chartering the English based Holyman of Cook Strait” because Swatridge have worked for Railways ferry particularly stormy crossing. Ltd vessel Condor 10. of their role in rescuing businesses – SeaRail, Interisland Line and Like Railways, the ferry service has its She was renamed The Lynx and people in jeopardy after Interislander. own close family ties. Kaitaki Engineer painted in the familiar Interisland Line boating or shipping mishaps. Mike Swatridge’s story is the classic Darren Peake is the grandson of the colours. tale of a young man who ran away to sea legendary Captain Eric Peake and he says In her first year of service,The Lynx New Zealanders prefer in Britain, came to New Zealand and fell I arrived in New Zealand at the tender age made 686 crossings, carried 212,334 it was his grandfather who inspired him The humble New Zealand pie is one of the in love with the country. of 21,” he says. to pursue a career at sea. passengers and 34,195 motor vehicles. most popular ferry foods. Passengers eat “I had fallen in love with New Zealand “I am retiring in October, drawing to “I always felt Granddad standing Only four percent of sailings were more than 55,000 pies each year. from the first time I arrived and so with a a close a career at sea which I have always at my shoulder giving me a nudge and cancelled. brand new Mate’s ticket and after a brief enjoyed. If I had my time over again, I saying, ‘go on, do your (engineering) At times, Cook Strait’s weather tested First fast period on British coasters to save money, would make the same decisions.” ticket’, ” he says. The Lynx’s capability, earning her the The arrival of fast ferries in 1994 description, “vomit comet”. Heavy seas in The first fast ferry trip between Wellington triggered a decade of what is often both 1997 and 1998 disrupted sailings. and the Marlborough Sounds was made in described as the “ferry wars” - a battle of But by 2000, the tide was turning on 1992 by the Patricia Olivia as part of a re- MILLION MILES FROM MINCE ON TOAST technology and marketing. the fast ferries. Fuel prices were rising fuelling stop on a journey to South America. “Passengers loved the faster trip but along with environmental consciousness Ferry food has come a long way still far and away our biggest seller,” she they also loved the advanced technology of the damage caused by ferry wake. Loe affair since the early days of mince on toast says. “Occasionally we get people asking and the idea they were part of something In 2000 the Marlborough District and beetroot sandwiches in white bread. us why we’re not providing more up- The first Director of Maritime New Zealand, new and exciting,” says Interislander Council imposed an 18-knot speed Interislander Retail Manager Michelle market, café-style food. The reality is that Russell Kilvington, came to New Zealand as General Manager Thomas Davis. restriction between Picton and the Hobson would like to go further, but the majority of passengers are looking a Steer Davies Gleave consultant to SeaRail Seagull branding was the visual entrance to Tory Channel. The Wellington she’s aware that ferry food has to stay in for comfort food of the good, standard, in 1991. He fell in love with the country and centrepiece of the Tranz Rail advertising harbourmaster had earlier imposed a touch with its market. “Fish and chips are New Zealand variety.” decided to stay. campaign. In television commercials, a speed restriction in the harbour to reduce 4676046AA family of seagulls perched on the bow of ferry wash.