新西兰铁路(KiwiRail)近日发表声明称他们正在寻求一个最佳的造船厂来建造两条新的铁路渡轮，为跨越库克海峡服务。副总理及国有企业部长温斯顿·彼得斯（Rt Hon Winston Peters）对此表示欢迎。
“这届政府致力于恢复铁路在新西兰应有的地位。更大、更好的船舶以及所采用的新技术，是这一进程中的又一大进步。”部长说。
“这将是新西兰25年来第一艘全新的专门建造的渡轮。”
“在目前的船只中，只有Aratere具有铁路运输功能，而上届政府不愿在新西兰的铁路基础设施上进行适当的投资，这意味着Aratere面临许多昂贵的技术和机械问题。“
“马上采取行动非常重要，可以确保我们连接南北岛的主干线具有承载弹性，并为将来做好准备。”
岛屿之间跨海渡轮每年可运载80万名乘客，以及多达$140亿的公路和铁路货运额。这两艘新渡轮的与当前的三艘船相比，可以运载两倍的乘客，三倍的铁路货车以及双倍的卡车和其它车辆。
“轮渡的投资也将需要新的配套基础设施，并且随着2020年预算案中对于铁路的升级，铁路将成为新西兰现代综合运输系统的一部分。”
“这将极大地促进新西兰的土木工程和建筑业。在全国范围内将需要数百名承包商及其材料供应商来进行轨道翻新和机械设备升级。”
“用于建造陆地上新的码头（包括铁路和火车调度站）的资金，将在皮克顿（Picton）和惠灵顿创造数百个本地建筑岗位，在整个新西兰创造数百个服务性岗位。这些工作预计将于明年开始。
去年预算案中为渡轮设计和采购投入了3500万纽币。在此基础上，渡轮和KiwiRail的陆地基础设施建设将为4亿纽币。这是政府针对铁路46亿纽币总投资的一部分。
（以上为简译，仅供参考，具体内容请见原文）
英文原文
Government investment supports theacquisition of new Interislander ferries
State-Owned Enterprises Minister Winston Peters has welcomed KiwiRail’s announcement that it is seeking a preferred shipyard to build two new rail-enabled ferries for the Cook Strait crossing.
“This Government is committed to restoring rail to its rightful place in New Zealand. Bigger, better ships, with new technology are yet another step on that journey,” Mr Peters said.
“These will be the first brand-new purpose built ferries New Zealand has had in over 25 years.
“Of the current ships, only the Aratere is rail-enabled, and an unwillingness from previous governments to invest properly in New Zealand’s rail infrastructure has meant the Aratere has had a number of costly technical and mechanical issues.
“It is vital we act now to ensure our Main Trunk Line between the North and South Islands is resilient and well-provisioned for the future,” said Mr Peters.
Interislander ferries carry 800,000 passengers and up to $14 billion of road and rail freight each year. The two new ferries will be able to carry twice as many passengers as the current three ship fleet, as well as three times more rail wagons and almost double the number of trucks and other vehicles.
“The investment in ferries will also require new infrastructure and, alongside rail upgrades in Budget 2020, will form part of a modern, integrated transport system for New Zealand.
“This will be a huge boost to New Zealand’s civil engineering and construction sector, with hundreds of contractors, and their material suppliers needed nationwide for track renewal, and mechanical facility upgrades,” says Mr Peters.
“The funding for the land-side new terminal infrastructure, including rail and vehicle marshaling yards, will create hundreds of local construction jobs in Picton and Wellington, along with hundreds of service supply jobs right across New Zealand, with work expected to begin next year.
The $400 million towards the ferries and KiwiRail’s land-side infrastructure builds on a $35 million investment in last year’s Budget for ferry design and procurement work. It is part of the Government’s overall $4.6 billion-dollar investment in rail.
