A Chinese shipbuilder will start construction of New Zealand's two new Cook Strait ferries next year and the rail-enabled ships are scheduled to arrive at the Land Down Under in 2029, according to government announcements.
The ferries will operate across the Cook Strait, linking New Zealand's North and South Islands, making it one of the country's most strategically important infrastructure investments.
Rail Minister Winston Peters said the taxpayer contribution to the program will be no more than NZ $1.7 billion ($990 million). He said the new program will save NZ $2.3 billion compared with the previous proposal.
"Our approach is simple: build what is needed, not what is desired. Do what works, not what dazzles. Trust the experts, not the yes-men," he said.
As part of the program, the two ferries will be built by one of the major shipbuilders in China, Guangzhou Shipyard International Company, or GSI, under a NZ $596 million fixed-price contract with Ferry Holdings Limited, signed in November 2025.
