Wellington's Interislander terminal has been named the preferred location for a single, multi-user ferry terminal.
The Kaiwharawhara berthing location. Photo: © Dave Lintott Photography 2018 / Supplied
CentrePort's shareholders - the Greater Wellington and Horizons regional councils, want development to push forward on the Interislander site at Kaiwharawhara, after it scored best out of four possible central sites.
Currently the Interislander and Bluebridge ferries dock in different places. Greater Wellington has been working on the proposal for a multi-user ferry dock for the past two years, with support from Bluebridge, KiwiRail, CentrePort, Wellington City Council and NZTA.
The project group also looked at Kings Wharf, Aotea Wharf and the container wharf.
Daran Ponter of Greater Wellington Regional Council said these other options would all impact the port's business and drag ferry traffic into the CBD.
Horizons Regional Council chair Rachel Keedwell was also supportive of the Kaiwharawhara location.
Wellington City mayor Andy Foster said certainty over the location was a crucial step to planning the layout of the port, allowing long-awaited decisions about road, rail, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.
"It will also allow us, I hope, to have a terminal that our capital city can finally be proud of," he said.