Inter-island ferry coming of age

Press, 28 May 1984, Page 6

Inter-island ferry coming of age

Thursday, May 31, will be a milestone for the owners of the inter-island ferry Spirit of Free Enterprise* 1 Barring unforeseen problems, the ferry will depart from Lyttelton on her 284th I trip to Wellington — one year to the day since the Pacifica Shipping Company, Ltd, launched the service amid much speculation in the shipping industry. With freight tonnages showing a steady increase during the year, the comE chairman, Mr Brooke enzie, believes he has proved the sceptics wrong. The company began its service with a 20 per cent loading in the first month, building up to an average of about 80 per cent after six months. “We are now averaging over 90 per cent full on both trips and that is well over projections,” Mr McKenzie said. Lyttelton Harbour Board figures record an increase of about 200,000 tonnes for the Wellington roll-on trade during the last year — due solely to the Spirit of Free Enterprise. The orange and white vessel, commonly known as “Soffe,” is the port’s most frequent caller, arriving or departing every second day. The board’s marketing manager, Mr Peter Morgan, said the Spirit of Free Enterprise was the key to increasing coastal traffic through the port. The vessel was now ranked among the board’s six biggest customers, handling about 10 per cent of the port’s total yearly tonnage.

“We would like to see the trade continue and progress and will be doing everything to see that it does,” Mr Morgan said.

The first few months of the service were dogged with industrial disputes, teething problems and the loss of 16 sailings. The last six months had been a period of consolidation and building on experience, Mr McKenzie said. Operations had “much improved” in this period with the loss of only four sailings. <r We had no experience with so many of the situations that developed earlier on. We now have that experience and are able to overcome these problems.” With the heavy sailing schedule imposed on the vessel, the company found maintenance more than anticipated. However, Mr McKenzie said the Spirit of Free Enterprise was “mechanically superb” and had performed well.

There was no doubt that the service was needed, he said. “There are natural fluctuations in freight movement and at the moment it’s in a buoyant period, but we have built up a strong core of customer support and we will maintain that support. “We have all we can handle in a turn-around time of eight hours,” he said. “We cannot increase the number of runs without disrupting the sailing schedule.” “We will have to look at a suitable ship for the run becoming available and I would hope that in a couple of years the Spirit of Free Enterprise will be replaced with a slightly larger vessel with easier loading facilities.”

Mr McKenzie said one of his future aims was introducing a high-speed passenger service between Lyttelton and Wellington. “My absolute ideal would ( be to introduce a high-speed passenger service if economics and the right vessel were available,” he said. “It is a service that is desper- i ately needed between the two islands as I consider it quite ridiculous that people have to drive to Picton to catch a ferry.” The Spirit of Free Enterprise’s first birthday will be ' celebrated in style at a function to be held in Christchurch on May 31. The company has invited about 80 guests who have been involved with the vessel’s operation and supported the venturee in its first year.