The Daily Examiner.
StraitNZ Bluebridge says it is buying a new ship as part of its ongoing investment in Cook Strait services.
The company says it will take ownership of the Stena Livia ferry from European shipping company Stena Line.
The vessel, currently operating between Germany and Latvia, is a sister ship to the Connemara, which began service on Cook Strait in 2023.
“We are familiar with the vessel type and know it is well suited to work on Cook Strait. When we set out to find a suitable vessel replacement a few months ago, we wanted to be able to provide more freight and passenger capacity and the Livia delivers both,” StraitNZ Chief Executive Shane McMahon said.
Launched in 2008, the Stena Livia will undergo a name change and drydock maintenance in Europe before joining the Cook Strait fleet in July.
It will replace the Strait Feronia, launched in 1997, towards the end of the year.
The new ship will increase vehicle capacity by 10 per cent and significantly boost passenger capacity through further modifications, the company said.
“Bluebridge has invested and grown its Cook Strait fleet for the past 32 years. Where it makes commercial sense, we will continue to invest in capacity for our customers – both freight and passenger. As a private company, this investment is made with no funding from government for vessels or landside infrastructure,” McMahon said.
