] KiwiRail says the substitute Interislander ferry Stena Alegra will not sail again until at least early next week.
The ship was pulled from service on Thursday after a blade on one of its two propellers was found to be missing.
The Stena Alegra. Photo: SEA MEDIA
The Stena Alegra was brought from Poland last year to replace the Aratere, which lost a propeller during a Cook Strait crossing.
KiwiRail says the Stena Alegra's propeller would be temporarily fixed by a rebalancing involving the removal of the propeller tip on the blade opposite to the damaged one.
The ship's owners will arrange a permanent repair when the charter is finished in three months. All passengers and freight are being transferred to the Kaitaki and the Arahura.
The Aratere had been scheduled to return last month but was delayed after new cracks were found. It was now due to be running by the end of June, the ferry company said.
