A new pitch has been made for a two-hour ferry link between the North and South Islands. 

The ‘North South Express’ would see a new port built at Clifford Bay, near Blenheim, through a public-private partnership. 

The plan proposes a multi-use terminal, with no speed restrictions, and boosted logistics productivity. 

CB Port Limited Spokesperson Dr Stephen Grice told Mike Hosking they can have the port up and running by 2029 – potentially even earlier.  

He says they’re bringing new engineering and capabilities to the project so the port with a floating wharf can be developed and designed overseas. 

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