The long-awaited Government decision on the replacement of current Interislander Cook Strait ferries operating between Wellington and Picton, will be announced this week. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said recently they would be “rail compatible”. That is not “rail enabled”. The difference is crucial.
Rail-enabled ferries allow trains to roll on to the ferry at the start, and roll off at the end of their journey. Rail-compatible ferries do not have rails on the ship. Containers are off-loaded from rail wagons onto trailers to load them onto the ferry at the start of the journey, and loaded back onto rail at the end of the journey. That is double handling.
