THE TROUBLE-plagued Cook Strait ro-pax Connemara is under Maritime New Zealand detention following a port state control inspection in Wellington.
The vessel has been out of service since 21 March with undisclosed technical problems, leading operator Bluebridge/StraitNZ with a single vessel, sistership Livia. Each vessel would normally make at least two return daily sailings to Picton.
MNZ today revealed Connemara was detained last Friday, thus explaining further cancellation notices issued by Bluebridge in recent days.
“As a result of findings identified from the inspection process, a decision has been made to detain the ferry.
"Currently, the ferry is berthed at Wellington, and the detention notice means it cannot sail until the notice has been lifted,” it said.
MNZ said appreciated the impact of continued cancellations on people and freight: “Once the issues have been rectified and checked and approved by its classification society surveyor, its flag state (Bahamas), and our inspectors, we will remove the detention.”
It did not outline the reasons for the detention and Bluebridge has still not disclosed the nature of Connemara’s problems, but re-assured disgruntled freight and passenger customers it was “doing everything we can to get back to our regular service as soon as possible”. It was hopeful of resuming sailing tonight [31 March].
Meanwhile, a passenger was lost overboard from the Interislander/KiwiRail ro-pax Kaiārahi overnight, with the situation only discovered when the person’s car, with keys inside, was found upon arrival in Wellington from Picton, with police alerted at about 0220 hrs and Coastguard search-and-rescue efforts launched around 0730.
At time of writing the person had not been found. The Maritime Union of NZ said Kaiārahi crew were shaken by the incident.