Transporting New Zealand interim chief executive Dom Kalasih says the ferries' continued delays are becoming untenable for freight (file image). Photo: RNZ/ Rachel Thomas
Commuters who depend on the Interislander say the service being offered by KiwiRail is not good enough, after another fault that left passengers stuck.
Those onboard the Kaitaki spent the night anchored in Wellington harbour, after there was a problem on the way to Picton. KiwiRail said there were only a small number of passengers onboard and most were commercial drivers.
An Interislander spokesperson said the vessel developed "issues with its steering just outside of the Wellington heads. It retained full steering control, via backup systems".
"To ensure safety the ships' master decided it would not berth at Kaiwharawhara without being guided by tugs, which were not available until around 7am."
After the ship was brought back to Wellington on Thursday morning, some were transferred to the Aratere sailing.
One passenger on that sailing said the ferries were becoming increasingly unreliable.
"We've been travelling 20 years across the strait and the last two years probably, particularly this last year has been really bad."
Transporting New Zealand interim chief executive Dom Kalasih said the ferries' continued delays were becoming untenable for freight.
He said the delays to freight were varied, but were most greatly felt by time sensitive products like food and livestock.
Alongside delays and disruptions, Kalasih feared if KiwiRail did not address the issues on its ferries, it would one day prove fatal.
He said if a ferry lost steering, particularly in a high-risk area like Wellington Heads, then "a ferry could get beached or sink".
Public Transport Users Association national co-ordinator Jon Reeves said the ferries were an integral link between the North and South Island and their current state was not good enough.
"Basically the Interislander ferries is part of our State Highway 1 and national railway network. It needs to be treated with as much importance as the rest of the roading and railway network is."
Federated Farmers transport spokesperson Mark Hooper said the country's vulnerable roading infrastructure network was a major worry for producers, and that included the ferries.
With livestock transfers, any delays could put animal welfare at stake and certainty over how long they would be in transit was needed.
This year the Kaitaki has already been subject to an investigation by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission after it lost power in January.
A preliminary report found it was caused in part by KiwiRail's failure to replace safety-critical parts, which were years past their use-by dates.
Wellington harbourmaster Grant Nalder said the ferry had been subject to much scrutiny since then.
The ferry has since been fixed and returned to service.
KiwiRail said an issue with the main steering system on the Kaitaki was resolved this morning and the ferry was back in service by 10.30am.
It apologised to passengers for the delays the disruption caused.