A new ferry that didn’t cost us a cent

Stuff reports:

There has been a lot written about Cook Strait ferries lately but far off in the distance, a new ship that will sail between the North and South Islands is slowly making its way here.

Called Livia, the ship has had a fresh coat of paint to transform it from the Stena Line colours into the livery of StraitNZ Bluebridge.

Built in 2008, the ship’s original name was Norman Voyager and it made its maiden voyage that same year between Rosslare, Ireland and the French port of Le Havre.

A number of ferry lines operated the ship until it was bought in 2021 by Stena Line to sail the Baltic Sea. Bluebridge then purchased the ship in March, 2025.

Bluebridge manages to find and purchase suitable ferries without any fuss or costing taxpayers a cent. Why can’t Kiwirail do the same?