Kea (ferry)

M.V. Kea (sometimes called the Seabus Kea) is a commercial passenger ferry that operates the busy New Zealand Devonport-Downtown Auckland express route for Fullers Ferries (Auckland's largest ferry operator). The Kea operates a regular service departing from Downtown Auckland every half-hour. [3]

Kea at Silo Park
History
New Zealand
Namesake: Kea
Owner: Fullers360
Builder: WECO
Commissioned: 1988
Homeport: Auckland
General characteristics
Class and type: Commercial Passenger Ferry
Displacement: 341 tons [1]
Length: 27.09 metres[2]
Beam: 10 metres[2]
Speed: 12 knots[2]
Complement: 411 passengers
Crew: 2

The Kea entered service in 1988 as the 14th ferry of the company. [4]

The bridge area forms a third deck. Her distinctive design is similar to earlier Auckland ferries in that she is longitudinally symmetrical, effectively meaning that she can be driven both ways, so that no U-Turns at the starts or finishes of crossings have to be made. This enables the Kea to maintain a half-hourly express service between Downtown Auckland and Devonport.

In 2007, she was removed from the water and given a substantial overhaul in a shipyard in the Western Reclamation, including major work on both engines.[5]

Fullers would also prefer to commission a second ferry for the Devonport service. However (as of 2007) the investment of around NZ$ 4.5 million for a duplicate of the Kea is considered too risky.[6]

In 2006, the Kea was involved in a minor collision at the Auckland Ferry Terminal with the moored Starflyte, due to steering failure. [1]

In February 2015, the Kea was again involved in a collision, this time at the Devonport Ferry Terminal, no other vessel was involved.[7]

References
Fullers Ferry Kea near Devonport
  1. http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/publications/accidents/AccidentSummaryMar06.pdf
  2. http://www.fullers.co.nz/news-events/customer-newsletters/documents/FullersAllAboardSummer-09_LOWRES_.pdf
  3. Destination History - Devonport Archived 2007-09-14 at the Wayback Machine (from the Fullers Ferries website. Retrieved 2007-09-14.)
  4. Company History - Growth in services (from the Fullers Ferries website)
  5. Maintenance programme nears completion - The Waiheke Week, 26 July 2007 Page 9
  6. Barton, Chris (9 April 2005). "Ferry terminals offer tickets to ride". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  7. "Ferry slams into Devonport Wharf". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
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