Hokianga ferry maintenance update
Watch our video of the 145-tonne Hokianga vehicle ferry being pulled out of the water for required maintenance. A replacement passenger-only ferry service is operating to the normal timetable during this time.
The 145-tonne Kohu Ra Tuarua vehicle ferry which usually operates between Rāwene and Kohukohu has been pulled into dry dock at the Narrows Wharf in Kohukohu for a series of maintenance checks expected to take until early June.
The out of water survey and maintenance is required by Maritime New Zealand and includes refurbishment and repairs of the two main hydraulic ramps, as well as major painting works on the hull, bulwarks, deck and all tanks on board. The maintenance, expected to be completed within five weeks, is longer than the usual two-week timeframe because the ferry is now around 25 years old and more significant maintenance is required for a vessel of that age.
A passenger-only service is operating to the usual schedule on the Hokianga Harbour while the council’s vehicle ferry undergoes maintenance. The drop off and pick up point for Kohukohu passengers during the maintenance period is from the wharf in Kohukohu town.
Watch our video of Kohu Ra Tuarua being taken out of the water at Narrows Wharf, Kohukohu.