New Zealand's Cook Strait Ferries Disrupted by Severe Weather, Aging Infrastructure

Recurring ferry delays raise questions about alternatives like a costly undersea tunnel, hindered by logistical and financial challenges.

Severe weather during New Zealand's peak holiday season caused significant disruptions to ferry services across the Cook Strait, leaving thousands stranded or delayed.
The Cook Strait's turbulent conditions, including opposing tides and high winds, make it one of the world's most unpredictable waterways, with swells this week reaching 9 meters (30 feet).
Aging ferries, some state-owned, have been prone to breakdowns, and plans to replace them before 2029 remain politically contentious and unresolved.
Proposals for an undersea tunnel between the North and South Islands face substantial obstacles, including an estimated cost of NZ$50 billion and New Zealand's challenging seismic activity.
The Cook Strait connects New Zealand's two main islands, with over 1 million passengers annually relying on ferries, despite delays and logistical challenges.