Residents and visitors should prepare for a change in their travel plans this July. The Wednesday SeaLink sailings to Tryphena Wharf will be diverted to Whangaparapara Wharf as major upgrades continue at Tryphena Wharf.
Since April, Tryphena Wharf has been undergoing maintenance. That came after an earlier situation this year when SeaLink paused all sailings to Tryphena, citing concerns that the wharf was a “collapse risk.” After discussions with Auckland Transport, sailings resumed, but both parties agreed to bring forward maintenance plans.
To expedite the remaining work, Auckland Transport (AT) and SeaLink have agreed on the temporary diversion of Wednesday sailings to Whangaparapara Wharf for the entire month of July. However, weekend sailings will continue to operate at Tryphena Wharf as usual.
Grady Cameron, CEO at SeaLink, explained the necessity of this change: “Tryphena Wharf is crucial to our operations on Aotea, and it is important to us that the work being conducted there is finished as quickly and safely as possible. We understand that diverting some sailings will be an inconvenience to some of our customers, but we are pleased to be able to continue using the wharf on our weekend sailings throughout July.”
The diversion will allow contractors STF to work uninterrupted from Monday to Friday, rebuilding the wharf’s SeaLink berthing face more quickly. This strategy aims to minimize disruption during the busier summer season when the wharf is in high demand.
In addition to these changes, SeaLink’s primary vessel, ‘Island Navigator’, will be in dry dock during July, creating a coordinated opportunity for timetable adjustments. To alleviate the impact on the community, AT and SeaLink will arrange additional landside freight support between Whangaparapara and Claris.
“We’ve worked closely with SeaLink to try and minimize any disruption to the community. The additional time STF can spend working on the wharf now means less interruption during the busy summer months and the reopening of Tryphena Wharf,” said Joshua Hyland, Delivery Manager PT & Facilities at Auckland Transport.
STF aims to complete as much work as possible before pausing for the winter period, resuming again in October 2024. The remaining tasks are not expected to cause significant disruptions.
SeaLink’s Sailing Schedule for July 2024:
- Every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.
- Tryphena sailings on Wednesday, 10 July, and 24 July will be diverted to Whangaparapara.
- Saturday and Sunday sailings will continue to Tryphena.
- Port Fitzroy sailings remain unchanged on 3, 17, and 31 July. Any changes will be communicated to affected customers in advance.
For more information, visit the SeaLink website or call Auckland Transport at 0800 103 080.
