Auckland harbour ferries to go electric

Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland harbour ferries are set to get quieter, cleaner and greener with two new electric ferries for commuters and sightseers to travel on.

Auckland Transport will operate the two electric fast ferries across all major inner and mid-harbour services from 2024, and the new ferries will open a pathway for further ferry electrification in the future.

The ferries are made of carbon-fibre, utilising technology at which Aotearoa is a world leader.

Today’s ferries contribute about 20 percent of Auckland’s public transport emissions. The electric ferries will substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with each electric ferry displacing about 1000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

This project will be a major boost to the rapidly developing maritime clean technology sector in New Zealand and will further upskill the maritime transport sector in New Zealand.

This is a boost for New Zealand’s climate goals and the economy, which is especially vital as the covid pandemic economic recovery continues.

The government has pledged to decarbonise the public transport bus fleet and electrifying water transport is a step forward in making public transport cleaner.

"As a harbour city, getting around by ferry is the norm for thousands of Aucklanders. Today’s announcement means instead of fossil fuels powering many of those journeys, people will be getting around in ways that help create a climate-friendly, prosperous future for New Zealand.

Next month’s emissions reduction plan will include many more initiatives to cut emissions from transport so that more people across New Zealand have access to low carbon ways of getting around,

Auckland Transport will receive a $27 million grant from government to pay for about 75 percent of the costs.