Jet-foil ferry favoured

Press, 12 April 1979, Page 10

Jet-foil ferry favoured

A Cook Strait jet-foil service for passengers, leaving ships to handle freight and private cars, would make for an efficient and economic service, according to a report released by Transport Nelson, Ltd. The report commented on a study by the Nelsonbased group of the advantages of a jet-foil passenger service between Wellington and the South Island. A new Cook Strait ferry to carry passengers and freight would cost about SIBM by 1981, whereas an A ra h a n g a-type vessel carrying only freight and private cars, and their passengers, would cost SI2M, the report said.

The S6M saving in capital costs and overseas funds was one argument in favour of restructuring the ferry service . and using a jet-foil to carry passengers. Not having to provide passenger accommodation would give increased cargo space. This would increase the profitability of the vessels and allow the existing fleet to cope with a growth in freight for a longer period before an additional ship was required.

Naval architects indicated that passenger accommodation and services accounted for 25 per cent of the cost of a new ves-

sei, and also reduced the freight-carrying capacity. Passengers travelling by jet-foil would cross Cook Strait faster and in greater comfort, and the ferries could move goods more efficiently at potentially lower freight rates, with greater flexibility of sailing schedules. The combination of passengers and freight on the same vessel had pushed up freight costs and deterred the growth of business between the South and North Islands, the report said. The trend would become worse as more passengers wanted to use the ferry service, which had been originally designed primarily to move freight.