56374 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister for Rail

Written Question

Published date: 17 Dec 2025

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	56374 (2025)
Question asked:	03 Dec 2025
Member asking:	Tangi Utikere
Portfolio:	Minister for Rail
Minister replying:	Rt Hon Winston Peters
Answer received:	11 Dec 2025
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_56374_2025
Document guid:	4300d53b-e7f1-48c3-a4e7-7065e1f82761

56374 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister for Rail: What specific manoeuvrability improvements have been required for the new interisland ferries, and how will these improve safety in harbour and open-sea conditions?

Rt Hon Winston Peters: The new ferries have been specified with a diesel electric hybrid power plant with batteries and will be fitted with azimuth thrusters for propulsion and steering. This is a significant improvement on manoeuvrability (azimuth thrusters can rotate 360 degrees) and power supply redundancies provided by the battery through energy storage for “spinning reserve."