Interislander has cancelled Kaitaki sailings on Tuesday as a safety precaution after the starboard bow door was impacted by a large wave while crossing from Picton to Wellington on Monday afternoon.

Interislander General Manager of Operations Duncan Roy said the impact damage did not affect the safety of the ship. During pre-departure preparation on Monday night the door could not re-align before closing.

 “For safety reasons we have cancelled sailings while the damage is assessed in more detail and repairs are completed, under the guidance of our third party Class authority.”

 The ferry Aratere is running an additional return sailing and times have changed today to help accommodate disrupted customers who we are contacting directly.

 “We apologise for the inconvenience these cancellations may cause however safety is our top priority in these situations. “