Maritime NZ has filed two charges against KiwiRail under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 following an investigation into the grounding of the Interislander ferry Aratere on June 21, 2024, during a voyage from Picton to Wellington.
The vessel, carrying 47 passengers and crew, ran aground north of Picton. All on board were safely evacuated, and the ferry was refloated the following evening with the help of two Picton-based port tugs.
According to Maritime NZ Chief Executive Kirstie Hewlett, the charges relate to the “operator’s failure to ensure the safety of crew and passengers.” The investigation focused on how KiwiRail introduced new systems on aging vessels and assessed the company’s overall approach to safety management.
The incident occurred a few weeks after Aratere was fitted with a new steering control system in May 2024. Although the vessel completed 83 successful Cook Strait crossings following the upgrade, the new system was a central factor in the grounding.
According to the interim report by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC), the vessel switched to autopilot near Mable Island at 21:26. During a maneuver supervised by the night master and a reorientation master, the ship was unintentionally steered toward land. When the bridge crew attempted to regain manual control, they encountered unexpected behavior from the newly installed steering system.
TAIC found that the crew was unaware of a critical feature of the new system: to switch from autopilot to manual control, either the rudder inputs on both stations had to be synchronized, or a transfer button had to be held for five seconds.
Despite emergency actions — including full astern propulsion and use of bow thrusters — the Aratere grounded at 21:28 while moving at approximately 7 knots. Although the hull remained watertight, the vessel sustained internal damage to the bulbous bow.
TAIC’s Chief Investigator of Accidents, Naveen Kozhupackal, confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and covers several key areas. The final report will include a detailed analysis and possible safety recommendations.
As the matter is now before the court, Maritime NZ stated it could not provide further details regarding the outcome of the investigation.
