Source: Radio New Zealand
The ship was grounded while sailing from Picton to Wellington on June 21, 2024. RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Maritime NZ says there was a clear knowledge gap in how a steering console worked aboard the Aratere ferry ahead of it running aground nearly two years ago.
KiwiRail had been ordered to pay a fine of $375,000 and $25,000 costs after pleading guilty to charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 today.
The ship ran aground during a freight sailing from Picton to Wellington on 21 June 2024.
No injuries were reported among the 39 crew and eight passengers aboard.
Maritime NZ said an investigation found failures in KiwiRail’s change management processes for training and the documentation of changes to steering functions following upgrades ahead of the grounding.
Maritime NZ Director, Kirstie Hewlett, said crews must have a clear understanding of the workings of steering critical controls and how to override any automatic commands.
“In this case, there was a clear knowledge gap about how the newly installed steering console worked, including in an emergency.
“This event sends a clear message to operators to ensure Masters and crews are properly trained and provided sufficient time and opportunity to familiarise themselves when introducing safety critical equipment, so that they can correctly undertake all safety critical actions on the vessel,” Hewlett said.
In a statement KiwiRail chief operations officer, Duncan Roy said the rail provider’s guilty plea reflected the acceptance the organisation “fell short of the high standards we expect to maintain”.
He said KiwiRail recognised the seriousness of the incident and responded quickly.
“We sincerely regret this incident. It should not have happened.
“We commissioned independent reviews immediately after the incident and have since put in place a substantial remedial programme across our fleet to ensure there is no repeat. This has included strengthened management of change processes, and formalised documentation and consultation requirements,” Roy said.
He said KiwiRail also conducted it’s own investigation and had shared regular public updates on the actions taken in response to the grounding.
“Since returning to service after the incident and until its retirement, Aratere completed 1,388 Cook Strait crossings, with reliability of 96 percent excluding weather.
“Safety is our top priority. We do not sail unless it is safe to do so, and we will continue to provide a safe and reliable Cook Strait service until the arrival of two new, larger, rail enabled ferries in 2029,” Roy said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand