Service Updates

Message from Mainstream

Rough conditions in the Cook Strait continue to cause delays with all sailings remaining cancelled. Strong winds and huge swells continue to batter the Cook Strait forcing all sailings to remain cancelled until conditions improve in the early hours of tomorrow morning. As a result the disruption in schedules to all inter-island freight over the next 48 hours continues to cause delays. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and assure as always that the team at Mainstream will endeavour to minimise any delays and we will keep you posted with any further updates. If you have any questions or require further information please feel free to contact your account manager or drop us a line at support@mainstream.co.nz.

Message from New Zealand Couriers

There has been a robbery at BP Kumeu West Auckland so couriers cannot collect from or deliver to this agent until further notice.
Some alternative nearby agents:
G.A.S Helensville 4-16 Railway Street Helensville
Caltex 720 Swanson Road Swanson Auckland
OR
The also drop off to our branch at NZC 681C Rosebank Road Avondale Auckland.

Post Haste, Castle Parcels and NOW Couriers will apply a surcharge of 9.8% to inter-island rates from Thursday the 1st of December 2016.

INTER-ISLAND SERVICE UPDATE.

A Surcharged has been announced for Post Haste / Castle Parcels and NOW Couriers.

We regret to advise that as from 1 December 2017, Post Haste, Castle Parcels and NOW Couriers will be introducing a 9.8% surcharge for inter-island freight in both directions.

This is expected to remain in place until SH1 re-opens, possibly sometime in 2017.

This has become necessary because of extra costs that they are now incurring through using the longer Lewis Pass route.

In addition to increased fuel costs, driving hours are also extended.

Post Haste Group GM Neil Wilson commented.

"Our decision to incorporate the surcharge has not been taken lightly, and we are committed to keeping our costs as low as possible,"

The surcharge will be reviewed regularly by these providers as the changes to the linehaul network necessitate.

The Prime Minister has announced that emergency legislation is being introduced to enable the ramping-up of recovery efforts in the earthquake-affected regions of Canterbury, Marlborough and Wellington.

Further 'severe' aftershocks have struck central New Zealand overnight. More than 6000 aftershocks have been recorded since the 7.8 on 14 November.

SH7 LEWIS PASS

Heavy rain is forecast for the main divide (Southern Alps) for the next 24 hours, with snow to 900m. This may possibly impact on our linehaul driving times between Picton and Christchurch in both directions.

INLAND ROUTE

This is still closed to all vehicles except for emergency services including the army convoys.

Work continues on clearing this highway.

WELLINGTON CBD

Work has commenced on the demolition of 61 Molesworth Street. It is expected to take two weeks to 'deconstruct' the building and a further fortnight to clear the site of rubble.

For latest updates on city outages and closures, see: http://wellington.govt.nz/about-wellington/emergency-management/city-outages-and-closures

If you are sending parcels to the Wellington CBD, please check first that the addressee is not located in a cordoned building.

For a full list of Wellington road closures and restrictions, see: http://wellington.govt.nz/about-wellington/emergency-management/city-outages-and-closures

Interislander Ferries

Sailings of Kaitaki and Kaiarahi are as normal (post-quake), with Aratere unable to operate until the linkspan is re-commissioned on 5 December.

Very high freight volumes again last night, necessitating an additional flight AKL-CHC.

5.7 aftershock

More homes and infrastructure were damaged in a shallow aftershock of 5.7 centred 20km southeast of Culverden at 6:13pm last night. This was a rolling tremor which has caused considerable damage in the Hurunui district. It was felt as far afield as Invercargill and Auckland.

There have been several more aftershocks in the magnitude 4 to 4.6 overnight and this morning.

Aftershocks are ongoing as expected, every few minutes somewhere in the region, and sometimes a cluster in the space of a minute or two.

Civil Defence has once again closed the Inland Route from Kaikoura to Waiau this morning for re-assessment, although it is expected to be open again for Army convoys from early afternoon. All Courier services through GSS to and from Kaikoura remain suspended until further notice.

Lewis Pass SH7

Delays are being experienced into Nelson and Blenheim because of the congestion issues impacting SH7 through Lewis Pass. General warnings are in place for roads in the northern half of the South Islands, because of earthquake damage and flooding.

Interislander

The Interislander rail ferry Aratere remains berthed in Wellington pending repair of the Wellington linkspan. No indication has been given as to when this ferry may be back in service on Cook Strait, or whether it will be temporarily re-routed to Lyttelton once the span is fixed.