New Zealand Ferry Operator Ordered To Pay $240,000 After 2024 Grounding Linked To Crew Training Gaps

New Zealand’s state-owned ferry and rail operator KiwiRail has been ordered to pay NZ$400,000 (US$240,000) after one of its Interislander ferries ran aground near Picton in June 2024.

The Wellington District Court fined the company NZ$375,000 and ordered it to pay another NZ$25,000 in costs after KiwiRail pleaded guilty to charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

The case is linked to the grounding of Aratere, a Ro-Pax ferry operating between Picton and Wellington across Cook Strait.

The ferry ran aground at Titoki Bay on the evening of June 21, 2024, shortly after leaving Picton Harbour.

The vessel was on a freight sailing to Wellington with 39 crew members and eight passengers on board.

The ferry struck the shoreline after the crew failed to take manual control of the vessel in time when it started moving off course while under autopilot.

The vessel was refloated the following evening. Authorities said there were no injuries, no oil spills and no damage to the hull.

Investigators later found that changes had been made to the ferry’s steering control system before the incident.

Four of the five bridge consoles had received a new steering system, but the autopilot console remained connected to the older navigation system made by another manufacturer.

Because of this setup, the ferry stayed under autopilot control in the final minutes before the grounding.

Although the crew later regained manual steering control, they could not stop the vessel from hitting the shore.

New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission said the crew did not fully understand how the modified steering system worked, especially during an emergency.

Kirstie Hewlett, director of Maritime New Zealand, said steering systems are safety-critical and crews must know how to override automatic commands.

She said the investigation found a clear knowledge gap involving the newly installed steering console.

Maritime NZ also found problems in KiwiRail’s change-management processes, bridge resource management, training and familiarisation procedures, documentation, and control of critical steering functions.

According to the regulator, the company introduced changes to safety-critical equipment without making sure the bridge crew fully understood the system before it entered service.

Hewlett said the incident should remind shipping operators to properly train crews and give them enough time to become familiar with new equipment before it is used on board.

The 184-metre-long Aratere was one of three ferries operating under the Interislander service.

Built in 1998 and lengthened in 2011, the vessel carried both rail freight wagons and passengers between New Zealand’s North and South Islands.

After repairs, the ferry returned to service and continued operating alongside sister vessels Kaitaki and Kaiarahi.

Aratere was retired in August last year and later sold. Under the sales agreement, the vessel will be sent to a specialist ship recycling yard in India.

KiwiRail earlier said the ferry was retired to make way for port infrastructure needed for two new rail-enabled ferries expected to arrive in 2029.

The vessel had faced several technical problems during its 25 years of service, including engine failures and earlier grounding incidents.

In 2023, the company was fined NZ$350,000 after a rail worker was crushed between wagons in a separate incident.

No individual penalties were issued in connection with the Aratere grounding case.

Reference: MaritimeNZ