Cut Here —

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

It just so happened that during our December 2017 journey to and from Wellington, Family Kiwidutch travelled on the same ship of the fleet of three, each way.

Some unusual markings on the walls and ceiling got me interested and I discovered:

“In April 2011, Interislander sent its busiest ship, the “Aratere” on a journey to Singapore for an extreme makeover of epic proportions.

The ship was literally cut in half with a new mid-section added to allow it to carry more passengers and freight.

The ambitious project was the equivalent of cutting an eight story, 150 metre-long building in half, moving the pieces apart, inserting a new piece 30 metre section and joining it all up again.

While undergoing the extension the ship also got a new bow to improve its handling and performance as well as a major internal refurbishment with the creation of new lounge areas.”

It’s interesting to see that some information is given on the ship about the extension project and that they have given a visual help to contemplating the facts and figures with dotted lines and scissors, illustrating the literal cut and joins.

There is a fascinating YouTube video that details the process (link below) and it’s a geeky feature that some people seem to notice and enjoy, yet other walk past not even registering it’s existence. Of course as a detail fanatic I was one of the geeky ones reading up (as you do)on why dotted lines and scissors are on the ceiling of a ship.

http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/projects/major-projects/improved-aratere-ferry

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/projects/major-projects/improved-aratere-ferry
Interisland Ferry “Aratere” Extension

https://youtu.be/5m6uvBsxLQs (YouTube link)
YouTube / “Lengthening Interislander’s Aratere Ferry” / New Zealand

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook_Strait
Wikipedia / Cook Straight Te Moana-o-Raukawa) / New Zealand