StraitNZ spokesman Will Dady said the company is “extremely disappointed” and said passengers had been put up in cabins overnight and served “refreshments”. She said passengers were not allowed to go down to their cars on a below deck, “so nobody had much stuff with them”. A passenger said they had little sleep after being stranded on the ferry overnight due to a ramp issue. The Wellington to Picton crossing ordinarily takes 3.5 hours, with Bluebridge making 50 sailings per week but the company’s sailings are currently booked out until January 25. It is the second time the issue has occurred in recent months, with passengers stuck for hours after the Connemara’s ramp became stuck on a crossing to Picton in late November.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 08, 2026 20:25 UTC