MV Arahanga

MV Arahanga was a roll-on/roll-off train ferry that operated across the Cook Strait between Wellington and Picton in New Zealand from 1972 until 2001.

History
Name: MV Arahanga
Operator: New Zealand Railways Department, New Zealand Railways Corporation, Tranz Rail
Route: Wellington - Picton
Builder: Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, Glasgow
Yard number: 111
Launched: 27 July 1972
In service: 11 December 1972
Out of service: 27 March 2001
Fate: Scrapped
General characteristics
Class and type: Roll-on/roll-off, train ferry
Length: 127.5 metres
Beam: 18.7 metres
Draught: 4.8 metres
Propulsion: 2 x SEMT Pielstick

History

Arahanga was built by Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, Glasgow for the New Zealand Railways Department to operate across the Cook Strait between Wellington and Picton.[1] Upper Clyde Shipbuilders went into liquidation during its construction, delaying its completion by 10 months.[2] It was the last ship built at the John Brown & Company yard.[3] Launched on 27 January 1972, it arrived in Wellington on 22 November 1972 and entered service on 11 December 1972.[4][5][6]

It was built as a cargo ferry with four tracks for railway wagons and additional capacity for road trucks. Built to only carry 40 passengers, it was refitted in 1984 to carry 100.[7] After 32,662 voyages, it was withdrawn on 27 March 2001 and sold to Alang, India for scrapping.[2]

References
  1. A Bridge in NZ Network December 1970 page 1
  2. Arahanga New Zealand Maritime Museum
  3. Cook Strait ferry service started 25 years ago Rails September 1987 page 36
  4. Ferry Launched Rails February 1972 page 14
  5. Third Rail Ferry for New Zealand Railways Network January 1973 page 2
  6. Third Vessel for Cook Strait Rail Ferry Service Railway Transportation February 1973 page 5
  7. Arahanga altered Rails November 1984 page 94
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