Following last week's severe weather and flooding in the Kaikōura region, both the Main North Line rail corridor and State Highway 1 between Cheviot and Kaikōura have reopened.

While this is a significant step forward for the national freight network, ongoing Interislander ferry maintenance and freight backlogs continue to impact transit times.

Interislander Maintenance

• Kaitaki – dry dock maintenance from 18 July to 26 September 2026

These maintenance activities continue to reduce available interisland freight capacity.

Current Network Status

• Rail freight services have resumed through the Main North Line corridor.
• SH1 between Cheviot and Kaikōura is now open under stop/go traffic management and reduced speed limits while repair works continue.
• Freight volumes continue to move through the network, however interisland capacity remains constrained and a backlog remains in place.

What This Means for Customers

Customers should continue to expect:

• Transit delays of approximately 24–48 hours
• Ongoing capacity pressure on interisland freight services
• Recovery timeframes of 3–4 weeks as network backlogs are cleared

Our teams have worked throughout the weekend and continue to actively manage freight flows and minimise congestion across the network.