18 November 2021

Service Announcement | New Zealand Freight Disruptions

Inter-island Services

Recent media coverage has signalled the potential for strike action by members of the Rail & Maritime Union impacting KiwiRail services, which could eventuate in early December during New Zealand’s highest freight volume period.

This is in addition to the current challenges facing KiwiRail’s inter-island fleet, with the Kaiarahi out of service until well into 2022, and the road and rail capable Aratere experiencing technical problems and limited to restricted Cook Strait crossings.  The Kaitaki and two Bluebridge services remain.

KiwiRail’s anticipated charter replacement ferry out of Europe is not expected until late December 2021, which will be well outside the high freight season.
 

Actions

We recommend the following:

• Communicate early with your inter-island receivers to expect delaysContact your local freight branch to explore options to move goods inter-island
• Use every effort to send shipments as early as possible, to mitigate further disruption in the event of strike action arising

 

Home Deliveries

Home deliveries are trading at seasonal peak volumes.  We ask for patience and support as our team manage this record demand.  To avoid disappointment in meeting Christmas delivery deadlines, we will require all home delivery collections to be completed by Friday 10 December; thereafter best endeavours will apply.
 
We also recommend that customers plan around similar schedule dates for all services within islands as seasonal demands extend transit times.

Thank you to all our customers for your understanding; we are operating with extended hours, 7 days a week, to meet expectations.