Aratere refit delayed because of earthquake

State-owned Cook Strait ferry operator the InterIslander is delaying the refit of its Aratere ferry so it can maintain freight capacity after the Christchurch earthquake.

The ferry was to be in Singapore in mid-March for a nose job and lengthening.

"Our experience after the earlier earthquake last September was that a lot of extra freight and passengers needed to move across Cook Strait for sometime afterwards," Interislander general manager Thomas Davis.

"It would be the wrong thing to reduce capacity to carry people and freight across Cook Strait at this time," he said.

The Aratere will stay in service until Easter and the company will explore options to ensure capacity is maintained.

NZPA

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