Auckland Tranpsort is confident of finding a new operator to replace three ferry services that Fullers360 will stop running on October 1.

Metro contracts manager Gareth Willis says AT is in commercial negotiations with another operator to start running the Bayswater, Birkenhead and Te Onewa Northcote Point services on October 1.

“Hopefully we will make an announcement in the next three-to-four weeks...we apologise to customers for the disruption.

“We are as equally concerned as the public is about getting ferry services back to the level and standard the Auckland public deserves,” he said.

Willis said that unfortunately ferries services to Gulf Harbour and Half Moon Bay will operate on a reduced timetable over the next 14 to 18 months, and AT is looking to minimise the impact on services to Devonport and Hobsonville Point.

The reduced services are due to a shortage of qualified mariners, and the need to train staff on a new refurbished ferry.

Willis would not say if Explore Group, the company that runs the Tiritiri Matangi ferry service and sailing experiences in the Hauraki Gulf, would be the new operator.

For some time now, cancellations, breakdowns, an ageing and rundown fleet; buses, taxis and Ubers replacing services and poor communications have blighted the city’s ferry services.

Fullers had indicated it would stop running some services in October. Photo / Jason Oxenham

AT is “exploring options” for more bus services to fill the current service gap, acknowledging the suspensions would be “disappointing for affected communities”.

Kaipatiki Local Board member Melanie Kenrick told the Herald the cuts “will be hugely disappointing for the communities who live in Northcote Pt and Birkenhead Pt.

“I know this will result [in] many [in] the community choosing to use private vehicles to commute to work,” Kenrick said.

North Shore councillor Chris Darby, who has just been appointed to the board of Auckland Transport, said the transport agency is pushing hard with other operators to pick up the services Fullers have baled from, but can’t over promise at this stage.

“Pulling services is an absolute last resort, by no means a situation we like, but the only circuit breaker AT and ferry operators could find to the longstanding skipper and deckhand shortage,” he said.

AT executive general manager of public transport services Stacey van der Putten said the shortage of qualified mariners was causing the issue.

“The ongoing shortage ... means it is not possible to reliably run AT’s full ferry network and to train meaningful numbers of new ferry crew members at the same time.”

Fullers chief executive Mike Horne. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Fullers360 chief executive Mike Horne said there was “no quick fix” to resolving the skill shortage plaguing the city’s ferries.

“With support from Auckland Transport to redistribute our resources to accelerate training and development, we will be able to progress up to 30 qualified crew to either deckhand or skipper in the next 14-18 months,” Horne said.

Willis said Fullers had been running the Bayswater, Birkenhead and Te Onewa Northcote Point services on a short-term basis after the contracts came up for renewal last year, and had indicated they would not run them from October 1.