Six shipbuilders have been shortlisted for the job of delivering the much-anticipated new Cook Strait ferries.

This comes after the Government pulled the plug on iReX because of cost blowouts, which was set to deliver new port-side infrastructure and two rail-enabled hybrid ferries.

Ferry Holdings chairman Chris Mackenzie won't disclose the names of these companies.

"We're not making anything public...we will not announce who the six are, we will be announcing the successful shipyard further down the track." 

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