Newstalk ZB headline on an article responding to the interim Aratere report on the grounding of Interislander vessel Aratere in the sounds.
THe initial cause suggests the bridge activated an auto pilot system that turned the vessel 90 degrees and the button pushing crewman did not know that to disengage the newly installed system needed the disengage button to be held depessed for five seconds.
When I fly I have no concerns as I am believing the Pilots have an equal desire to arrive safely as do I.
Having the almost eighteen thousand tonne Vessel in the hands of someone who had a training deficiency that they could not disengage an autopilot gives cause for Pause.
That Interislander, committed to “Moving Forward” in the light of a collision with terra firma only a short time after departing Picton does dent any faith residual for a now unlikely client status for the state owned vessel, as Bluebridge meets all my expectations.
That said my faith in the private enterprise outfit has been dented also with the power failure for Connemara just off the Wellington Heads, rumoured to be fuel related.
New Zealand, an Island nation, has been found deficient in matters maritime lately, Aratere, Connemara, Manawanui, does anyone know if Common Sense is still available, now there was a person to be trusted.
No Minister 
Since the demise of USSCo and SCONZ, NZ has trained v few deck officers and relies on importing them.
I would hazard that there are no Marine or Engineer Superintendents who have sea going experience in NZ Rail.
I am a retired Master Mariner with command experience.
GD I think it was even worse than 1 driver who did not know how the auto-pilot worked.
There were apparently THREE of them on the Bridge at the time who should have known.
https://www.taic.org.nz/news/interim-factual-report-grounding-interislander-ferry-aratere
Night MAster had the command, deck rating on the helm and another Master in familiarisation training for the ferries
https://www.taic.org.nz/news/interim-factual-report-grounding-interislander-ferry-aratere
None of them knew how to turn the autopilot off and take manual control…. (I shit you not!!!):
“The bridge team was unaware that to transfer steering control from the autopilot to the central steering console, the new steering system required them to either set the same rudder command at both consoles, or hold down takeover button for five seconds.”
But here is the kicker….. they crews must have been trained as “In May 2024, Aratere received a new steering control system to work with the ship’s autopilot and integrated bridge navigation system. In the next three weeks, Aratere completed 83 Cook Strait crossings.”
And surely no ship is allowed to go to sea without a properly trained crew????
Completely project failure of installing and operationalising the new steering package – the incident itself is just a manifestation of a dreadful run project and equally dread Operational Readiness management…