The latest addition to the Whitianga Ferries fleet has gone into service this week after she was launched last weekend.

The new 12 metre long, 63-seat alloy mono-hull vessel has been officially christened ‘Diana Rose' in honour of Whitianga Ferries Ltd owner Fred Acke's mother.

The official launching of Whitianga Ferries Ltd new vessel the Diana Rose last weekend. Photo: TCDC

Fred undertook to build a new ferry to replace the Stella B and this new vessel will allow the service to carry more passengers in greater comfort across the harbour. The Diana Rose also sits flush to the dock for easy wheelchair, cycle and pram access.

The vessels design also means passengers can now get on and off more quickly, which will speed up the turn-around time and improving overall service.

As the Diana Rose is a considerable investment for Whitianga Ferries, fares will go up slightly and will be the first increase in several years.

'It adds up to an increase of 50 cents a trip for adults and 25 cents for children, including GST,” says Fred.

The increase doesn't affect casual fares, which remain at $6 return for adults and $4 for children. While concession cards for adults will now be $80 and $50 for children for 40 crossings.

The company operates under a licence from Thames-Coromandel District Council, which owns and maintains the docks at Whitianga and Ferry Landing that the boats operate from.

The council raised the cost of the licence considerably prior to Fred purchasing Whitianga Ferries in November 2014.

It was mutually agreed that the fares would increase alongside improvements being made to the ferry service.

Mercury Bay area manager Sam Marshall says all money raised from the ferry licence and other Whitianga Harbour-related fees would goes entirely toward maintaining and developing harbour facilities.

Photo: TCDC

The council adds that work to upgrade the old stone wharf at Ferry Landing is also still continuing.

The wharf is one of the oldest working stone wharves in the southern hemisphere and is classified as a Grade One structure by Heritage New Zealand.

'Stones that had fallen from the structure into the harbour were recovered in April and the plan is to use these to restore the wharf,” says council.

'Heritage New Zealand is currently signing off on the refurbishment plan and the stone masons hope to begin work in October and be finished before Christmas.”

The scope of the second stage of the project - including the paving, lighting and other improvements to the area - is currently being finalised by architectural designers.