Kea crossing the Waitemata Harbour |
|
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Namesake: | Kea |
| Commissioned: | 1988 |
| Homeport: | Auckland |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Commercial Passenger Ferry |
| Displacement: | 341 tons [1] |
| Length: | 27.06 metres |
| Speed: | 15 knots |
| Complement: | 400 passengers, 2 crew |
M.V. Kea (sometimes called the Seabus Kea) is a commercial passenger ferry that operates the busy 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. [2]
The Kea was purpose-built in Whangarei for Fullers, and entered service in 1988 as the 14th ferry of the company. [3]
The Kea can carry approximately 400 passengers on her two passenger decks , while 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.[4]
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.[5]
In 2006, the Kea was involved in a minor collision at the Auckland Ferry Terminal with the moored Starflyte, due to steering failure. [1]