KiwiRail's problem-plagued Aratere ferry has run into another problem, even before it managed to get back to New Zealand from a trip to Singapore for repairs.
One of the ship's six engines has failed en route to New Zealand from dry dock in Singapore, where it was being repaired after losing a propellor in November last year.
KiwiRail said on Thursday the ferry normally runs on a maximum of four engines and the failure has had no effect on its speed or performance.
It is not revealing the details of the fault, but said it is the kind of problem which happens from time to time in any vessel.
The Aratere. Photo: RNZ