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| Formerly | Strait Shipping Bluebridge |
|---|---|
| Industry | Passenger and freight shipping, freight forwarding and logistics |
| Predecessor | Strait Shipping, Streamline Freight, Freight Lines |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Founder | Jim Barker and Dennis Dow |
| Headquarters | Wellington, New Zealand |
Area served | New Zealand |
| Revenue | NZ$175 million (2021) |
| NZ$45 million (2021) | |
Number of employees | 500 (2021) |
| Parent | Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners (2022–present) |
| Subsidiaries | Bluebridge StraitNZ Freight Forwarding StraitNZ Linehaul |
| Website | www.straitnz.co.nz |
StraitNZ, formerlyStrait Shipping, is aNew Zealand transport firm that operatesroll-on/roll-off freight and passenger shipping acrossCook Strait betweenWellington in theNorth Island andPicton in theSouth Island, and trucking and logistics services across New Zealand.[1] Originally a freight-only service, passenger services commenced in 2002 and operate under theBluebridge brand.[2][3] As of 2021, Bluebridge holds 56% of the market for vehicle freight and 31% of the market for passenger services across Cook Strait.[4]
The company was acquired on 31 March 2022 byMorgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners.[5]
The company has its origins in Otorohanga Transport, founded by Jim Barker and Dennis Dow in 1963.[6]
Inter-island ferry operations began in 1992 as Strait Shipping Limited,[3] as a way for Barker to provide more affordable inter-island ferry services for his trucking group. Ferries between the North and South Islands of New Zealand were then monopolised by theInterisland Line, owned by the then state-owned enterpriseNew Zealand Rail (privatised in 1993 and renamed Tranz Rail in 1995). As of 2022, the two companies still hold a duopoly on interisland ferry services.
As well as operating across theCook Strait between Wellington and Picton, Strait Shipping has in the past also operated freight shipping between Wellington andNapier, also in the North Island, andNelson andLyttelton in the South Island.
Bluebridge was launched as the passenger service brand of Strait Shipping in 2003.[7]
In 2016, Strait Shipping was sold to Australian-based Champ Private Equity Group.[8][7] At the same time, Champ Group also purchased trucking companies Freight Lines and Streamline Freight, which had both been separately owned by the Barker family.[7] At the time, the trucking and ferry companies owned by the Barker family were estimated to employ around 750 people.
On 29 March 2018 Strait Shipping Limited was renamed StraitNZ,[9] with passenger services continuing to operate under the Bluebridge brand.[1] Sister companies Freight Lines and Streamline[7] were rebranded as "StraitNZ Linehaul" and "StraitNZ Freight Forwarding"[1] respectively. That year, a 25% stake in the company was acquired byMacquarie.
In December 2021, the StraitNZ Group was sold by Champ Private Equity and Macquarie toMorgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, for a reported sale price of NZ$500 million.[10] The acquisition was completed in March 2022.
As of 2021, StraitNZ’s Bluebridge ferry unit was reported to have a 56% market share forCook Strait vehicle freight, and a 31% market share for passenger services. The remaining share is held byInterislander, a subsidiary of New Zealand Government-ownedKiwiRail.[4]
In 2020, following two years of discussion with stakeholders,Greater Wellington Regional Council announced that it had chosenKaiwharawhara as its preferred site for a new ferry terminal. The terminal will be built on land owned byKiwiRail,CentrePort and theNZ Transport Agency. Interislander plans to introduce new hybrid electric ferries that are 30 m (98 ft) longer than those currently in operation.[11] The new terminal will be able to accommodate the larger ferries and will replace the two separate terminals currently used by StraitNZ and the Interislander.[12] In addition, CentrePort will be able to make changes to the layout of its other port operations. The plan includes a wharf about 250 m (820 ft) long, a ferry terminal building, changes to road, rail and pedestrian access, and marshalling and loading areas.[13] The panel that approved the project called it the biggest rail capital project since World War 2.[11]
Site preparation began, but the cost of the project increased significantly. In December 2023, the new Finance Minister,Nicola Willis, declined extra funding to KiwiRail for its proposed new ferries and terminal infrastructure, and as of January 2024 the project is stalled while the parties involved consider their options.[14][15]
| Name | Image | Shipyard | Launched | Entered service | Port of registry | Tonnage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strait Feronia | _(cropped).jpg) |  Cantiere Navale Visentini,Porto Viro,Italy | 1997 | 2015 |  Wellington,New Zealand | 21,856GT | [16] |
| Connemara |  | Cantiere Navale Visentini,Porto Viro,Italy | 2007 | 2023 |  Nassau,Bahamas | 27,414GT | [17] |
| Name | Image | Shipyard | Launched | Entered service | Retired from service | Tonnage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straitsman (1972) |  NQEA,Cairns,Australia | 1972 | 1992 | 2004 | 1,481 GT | Strait Shipping's first vessel. Used to transport livestock,Straitsman launched Strait Shipping's service across Cook Strait between Wellington, Picton and Nelson. In service until replaced bySanta Regina in 2002.[16] | |
| Suilven |  |  Moss Verft,Moss, Norway | 1974 | 1995 | 2004 | 3,638 GT | [16] |
| Kent |  Ishikawajima-Harima Shipyard,Tokyo,Japan | 1977 | 2001 | 2010 | 6,862 GT | [16] | |
| Santa Regina |  |  Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre [fr],Le Havre,France | 1985 | 2002 | 2015 | 14,588GT | [16] |
| Monte Stello |  | Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre [fr],Le Havre,France | 1979 | 2006 | 2010 | 11,630 GT | Lost power inTory Channel on 2 May 2008.[16][18] |
| Straitsman (2005) |  |  Volharding Shipyards [nl], Netherlands | 2005 | 2010 | 2023 | 13,906 GT | Now operated byCondor Ferries in theUnited Kingdom |
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