StraitNZ


StraitNZ is a New Zealand firm that operates roll-on/roll-off freight and passenger shipping across the Cook Strait, between Wellington in the North Island and Picton in the South Island and trucking and logistics services across New Zealand, formerly under the separate companies Streamline Freight and Freight Lines Passenger services commenced in 2002 and operate under the Bluebridge brand. Strait Shipping has in the past also operated freight shipping between Wellington and Napier, also in the North Island, and Nelson and Lyttelton in the South Island.

History

The company has its origins in Otorohanga Transport, founded by Jim Barker and Dennis Dow in 1963. By 2016, the Barker Group had 750 staff across New Zealand.
Inter-island ferry operations began in 1992 as Strait Shipping Limited to compete with the Interisland Line, owned by the then state-owned enterprise New Zealand Rail Limited. Bluebridge was launched as the passenger service brand of Strait Shipping in 2003.
In 2016, Strait Shipping was sold to Australian-based Champ Private Equity Group. At the same time, Champ Group also purchased trucking companies Freight Lines and Streamline Freight, which had both been separately owned by the Barker family.

Renamed StraitNZ

On 29 March 2018 Strait Shipping Limited was renamed StraitNZ Bluebridge, and the Bluebridge brand continued. Freight Lines and Streamline Freight were rebranded as "StraitNZ Linehaul" and "StraitNZ Freight Forwarding" respectively and are now 100% owned the same parent company as Bluebridge, StraitNZ Limited.

Bluebridge fleet

Current

Past