Red Sea future for Cook Strait ro-pax

STRAITNZ’s ro-pax Strait Feronia has concluded its BlueBridge Cook Strait service and is heading to a new life in the Middle East. 

The 1997-built, 21,856 GT vessel, originally Mersey Viking operating between Liverpool and Dublin, was acquired by the then Strait Shipping from Stena in 2015 and began Wellington-Picton service.  

Strait Feronia made its final sailing on the route on Thursday, following the return of Connemara from routine drydocking in Singapore. Strait Feronia’s direct replacement, the 2008-built, 26,904 GT Livia, also purchased from Stena, arrived from Europe in early July and began Cook Strait service mid-month freeing sister Connemara for docking. 

Strait Feronia has now been renamed Pan Lily for Egyptian owners Pan Marine Shipping Co under the Panama flag and is listed to sail from Wellington next week for Singapore, likely for its own drydocking, having last been drydocked in Sydney in March 2023. It is destined for Red Sea service. 

Meanwhile, KiwiRail’s rail/ro-pax Aratere, withdrawn from service on 18 August and laid up awaiting sale, remains in Wellington with all Interislander identity painted out. It is expected to headed for the scrapyards.