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Aratere Ferry Retires, Job Losses Loom Amid Upgrades

4/30/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Aratere ferry, a vital link for the Interislander, is set to retire this year for crucial port upgrades, leading to job losses. Rail Minister Winston Peters revealed that maintaining the ferry would cost a staggering $120 million. KiwiRail will operate a two-ship service until new ferries arrive in 2029, with freight temporarily diverted to road transport. Voluntary redundancies will be available for affected workers.

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Story summary

The Aratere ferry, a vital link for the Interislander, is set to retire this year for crucial port upgrades, leading to job losses. Rail Minister Winston Peters revealed that maintaining the ferry would cost a staggering $120 million. KiwiRail will operate a two-ship service until new ferries arrive in 2029, with freight temporarily diverted to road transport. Voluntary redundancies will be available for affected workers.