Hovercraft a possibility for inter-island ferry service

Press, 13 April 1978, Page 1

Hovercraft a possibility for inter-island ferry service

Hovercraft are a possibility, albeit an outside one, for a renewed service between Lyttelton and Wellington. They have the capability; they have an economic advantage over conventional ships; and they have three times the speed of -conventional ships. Whether one could be tailored to the needs of the inter-island service is the question which most breeds caution. Diametrically opposed views dominate the interisland ferry debate. The Labour Party has made its restoration an election promise; the Government scrapped the ferry on the ground that the costs were unwarranted and, as recently as yesterday, the chairman of the New Zealand Shipping Corporation (Mr Charles Speight) said that reintroduction of the service would not be feasible until rail freight charges rose enough to make a coastal service competitive. But, to date, all debate has been based on the use of conventional shipping.

When the hovercraft

suggestion was put to the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) he said it was “something that could be looked at. “I wouldn’t throw cold water on the idea. It could warrant some study. But on present information I doubt a hovercraft would be suitable,’’ he said. “I suggest that anyone who has travelled in the ferry think back to the kind of conditions that can occur on the inter-island run and reflect on their experiences. On the basis of that it is doubtful that a hovercraft would be suitable.

“On what 1 understand of commercial hovercraft services, such as those across the English Channel. 1 hey do not have the freight capability we envisage. They are not particularly suitable for that amount of freight.”

Mr Rowling said that his party’s proposal was for a dual-purpose ferry: a rollon cargo ferry with passenger capability, not a passenger ferry that could also carry freight. “We believe that proper regional development will provide a lot of inter-

island freight,” Mr Rowling said. The possibility of a hovercraft for the servicehas been raised as a result of the launching last week of the world’s biggest hovercraft to date. The 300-ton craft, built for the English Channel service, can carry 416 passengers and 60 cars. It is a development of craft

By

PHILIP WORTHINGTON

which have proven themselves on deep-water trials off Scandanavia in mid-winter. The hovercraft, due to go into commercial service between Dover and Boulogne, France, in June, cost S6M, several million dollars less than would be needed for a conventional ship. Its cruising speed of 50 knots 'would cut the Lyttelton - Wellington time to less than three hours and a half, and the prototype has been proved in seas up to 20ft. Passenger hovercraft

have been used for commercial services across the English Channel for 12 years. Two years ago, a reporter of “The Press” visiting Britain was told by British Hovercraft. Corporation officials that a crossChannel type of hovercraft would probably be quite suitable for the LytteltonWellington run. At that time the)' estimated the likely cost of a craft at S7M, and said that it would have about the same economic life as a conventional ship.

Restoration of a Wellington-Lyttelton ferry would not be feasible until tonnage demand increased and inflated rail costs forced it, said Mr Speight yesterday, reports the Press Association.

Replying to Mr Rowling’s election promise to reintroduce a ferry service, Mr Speight said the corporation and the Government favoured a return of the service, but this would depend on a boost in the economy. Mr Speight . said there was a “marginal” increase in tonnage moving between

Auckland and Christchurch, because manufacturers were looking for more economical transport for their products. Mr Rowling said last evening that he did not think sound judgments could be made at present about viability of the Lyttelton-Wellington run.

“No accurate information is available on the capital outlay that would be required to re-establish the service, and no information is available on the tonnages which would be available in inter-island freight resulting directly from the regional development plans which a Labour Government will introduce,” Mr Rowling said.

"Reintroduction of the service is based around the regional development which would occur under Labour and the growth in inter-island trade which that development would give,” he said.