Kea (ferry)
 Kea crossing the Waitemata Harbour
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Namesake | Kea |
| Commissioned | 1988 |
| Homeport | Auckland |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Commercial Passenger Ferry |
| Displacement | 341 tons [1] |
| Length | 27.09 metres[2] |
| Beam | 10 metres[2] |
| Speed | 12 knots[2] |
| Complement | 411 passengers |
| Crew | 2 |
M.V. Kea (sometimes called the Seabus Kea) is a commercial passenger ferry that operates the busy Devonport-Downtown Auckland express route for Fullers Ferries (Auckland's largest ferry operator). The Kea operates a regular service departing from Downtown Auckland every half-hour. [3]
The Kea was purpose-built in Whangarei[citation needed] for Fullers, and entered service in 1988 as the 14th ferry of the company. [4]
The Kea can carry approximately 400 passengers on her two passenger decks [citation needed], while the bridge area forms a third deck. Her distinctive design is similar to earlier Auckland ferries in that she is longitudinally symmetrical, effectively meaning that she can be driven both ways, so that no U-Turns at the starts or finishes of crossings have to be made. This enables the Kea to maintain a half-hourly express service between Downtown Auckland and Devonport.
In 2007, she was removed from the water and given a substantial overhaul in a shipyard in the Western Reclamation, including major work on both engines.[5]
Fullers would also prefer to commission a second ferry for the Devonport service. However (as of 2007) the investment of around NZ$ 4.5 million for a duplicate of the Kea is considered too risky.[6]
In 2006, the Kea was involved in a minor collision at the Auckland Ferry Terminal with the moored Starflyte, due to steering failure. [1]
In February 2015, the Kea was again involved in a collision, this time at the Devonport Ferry Terminal, no other vessel was involved.[7]
References
- ^ a b http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/publications/accidents/AccidentSummaryMar06.pdf
- ^ a b c http://www.fullers.co.nz/news-events/customer-newsletters/documents/FullersAllAboardSummer-09_LOWRES_.pdf
- ^ Destination History - Devonport (from the Fullers Ferries website. Retrieved 2007-09-14.)
- ^ Company History - Growth in services (from the Fullers Ferries website)
- ^ Maintenance programme nears completion - The Waiheke Week, 26 July 2007 Page 9
- ^ Barton, Chris (9 April 2005). "Ferry terminals offer tickets to ride". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
- ^ "Ferry slams into Devonport Wharf". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
External links
Media related to Kea (ship) at Wikimedia Commons
