SeaLink New Zealand

This article is about SeaLink operating in Auckland. For Australian SeaLink operations, see SeaLink Travel Group.

The SeaLink Travel Group is a group of companies including Captain Cook Cruises and Kangaroo Island SeaLink, which operates vehicle and passenger ferry services to Kangaroo Island. This page is about SeaLink NZ which operates vehicle ferry services on the Hauraki Gulf in Auckland, and is owned by the SeaLink NZ.

History

SeaLink NZ started out as a ferry company owned by the Subritzky family in Auckland in 1960. During this time it went by various trading names including Subritzky Shipping, Subritzky Shipping Line and Subritzky on the Hauraki Gulf. A change of ownership in 2004 saw the purchase of the company by Kangaroo Island SeaLink, a leading South Australian tourism company and in December 2005 the company was renamed the SeaLink Travel Group. At this point the company started to focus on tourism and the SeaLink Holidays brand was born.

Subritzky Shipping operated the first self-propelled vehicle ferry to Waiheke Island with the vessel Port Kennedy. Later on, the company began to trade as SubritzkyLine. Prio to being sold to SeaLink, the SubritzkyLine fleet was as follows:

After the purchase of the Seacat, SubritzkyLine came into financial trouble.

In September 2004, SeaLink Kangaroo Island purchased SubritzkyLine. The sale included only four vessels. SeaLink brought over the vessel Island Navigator for the Great Barrier Island services.

In December 2005, the company began operating under the SeaLink brand.

In 2011 the company quietly reverted to New Zealand ownership after 7 successful years in the hands of SeaLink Travel Group in Australia and is now owned by Lyncroft Properties.

Fleet

Sealink NZ's Fleet as of January 2010

Services

Waiheke Island

SeaLink operates up to 13 services a day from Half Moon Bay in East Auckland to Kennedy Point, Waiheke Island. The vessel Seacat operates the majority of these services, with the Seaway II operating services for the morning and evening commuter runs. The vessel Seamaster (formerly the MN Subritzky) operates under the FreightLink banner on the run, and focuses on the freight and larger truck operations.

During the Summer period, on a Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday, Seaway II operates a service from Wynyard Wharf in Downtown Auckland to Kennedy Point.

Great Barrier Island

SeaLink operate the only year-round service to Great Barrier Island, using the vessel Island Navigator. Services are from Wynyard Wharf Downtown Auckland to Tryphena Great Barrier Island. On a Tuesday, the return sailing from Tryphena travels via Port Fitzroy, Great Barrier Island.

External links