DEV Aratere
| Aratere 2011
DEV Aratere after her 2011 modifications
|
|
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Aratere |
| Operator: | Interislander |
| Port of registry: | Wellington,  New Zealand |
| Route: | Wellington to Picton |
| Builder: | Astillero Barreras, Spain |
| Cost: | NZ$132 million |
| Yard number: | 1570 |
| Launched: | 1998 |
| Christened: | 1999 |
| Status: | In service |
| General characteristics (after 2011 modifications) | |
| Tonnage: | 12596 tonnes |
| Length: | 183.5 m (602 ft 0.4 in) |
| Beam: | 20.5 m (67 ft 3.1 in) |
| Draft: | 5.5 m (18 ft 0.5 in) |
| Decks: | 6 |
| Installed power: | Four Wärtsilä 8L32 diesel engines, each producing 3600 kilowatts at 750 rpm |
| Propulsion: | Fixed propellers, each four blades inward turning |
| Speed: | 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph) |
| Capacity: |
|
| Crew: | 31 |
DEV Aratere is a roll-on roll-off rail and vehicle ferry in service for Interislander in New Zealand. Built in 1998 and lengthened in 2011, she operates six crossings from Wellington to Picton each day. In November 2013, she lost one of her propellers in Cook Strait.[2]
History
Diesel Electric Vessel (DEV) Aratere was built for Tranz Rail, now KiwiRail, in 1998 to replace the ageing MV Aratika. The name Aratere means "Quick Path" in the Māori language.[3]
In 2011, Aratere underwent a $52 million refit at the Sembawang shipyard in Singapore,[4] increasing her capacity from 360 to 600 passengers. The refit included a new bow and stern. The ship was lengthened by cutting it in half to insert a new 30-metre (98 ft 5.1 in) midsection.[5]
Incidents
Aratere has been involved in several technical problems and engine failures over her years in service. There is no official relationship between these incidents, though the media have stoked speculation that the ferry may be jinxed and she has earned the nickname "El Lemon".[3][6] Notable incidents have included:
- 25 February 1999 - An engine failure.[7]
- 18 December 2000 - An engine malfunction.[8]
- 1 October 2004 - "30 seconds of potential disaster" after Aratere has a steering fault in the Marlborough Sounds.[9]
- 10 February 2005 - Aratere was detained after a "crisis of confidence" with inspectors noting that she had arrived from Spain six years earlier in a shocking state. They could no longer allow her to operate as she was [10] She was eventually allowed to sail again on 15 March.[11][12]
- After the extensive refit carried out in Singapore in 2011, she has once again experienced numerous incidents, including engine failures.[13] On 2 November 2011 Maritime NZ ordered the ship to stop operating until proven safe.[14]
- On 5 November 2013 Aratere snapped a drive shaft losing a propeller in Cook Strait. This initially forced the ship out of service, causing disruption to Interislander schedules.[2][15] Subsequently the ship was allowed to make freight only crossings with only one propeller for propulsion.[16]
Layout
Like the Interisland ferry Arahura, Aratere has both rail and vehicle decks. These can be loaded simultaneously through the stern via a double linkspan. A lower hold has additional space for cars, though access to this hold was blocked off after the refit in Singapore.[17]
Aratere has six decks.[17]
- Deck 1 - Engine and propulsion rooms
- Deck 2 - Rail deck
- Deck 3 - Road vehicle deck
- Deck 4 - Bar, Foodcourt, Shop, Lounge, Deck Access
- Deck 5 - Premium Lounge, Drivers Accommodation, Deck Access including outdoor seating.
- Deck 6 - Bridge and sun deck
Service
Aratere operates six crossings of the Cook Strait each day (three passenger, three freight). In late 2009, Aratere celebrated her 20,000th crossing, having travelled around 2 million kilometres.[18]
Footnotes
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Aratere out of action for six months. 3 News NZ. 14 November 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Aratere at Interislander website
- New Zealand Herald Aratere-related articles
- Dominion Post (Wellington, New Zealand) Aratere-related articles
External links
- New Zealand Maritime Index: MV Aratere
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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