Fullers Group

Fullers Group
Private
Industry Ferry & tourism company
Founder George Hudson
Headquarters Auckland, New Zealand
Key people
 Mike Horne, CEO
Owner InMotion Group
Website http://www.fullers.co.nz/

Fullers Group Limited is a ferry and tourism company in Auckland, New Zealand.[1] It operates in the Hauraki Gulf and Waitematā Harbour. Fullers Group is the latest in a long line of almost continuous harbour and gulf ferry operations based in Auckland since the 1870s.

History

According to the company's official website, George Hudson, and his son, Douglas, conceived an idea for an improved ferry service to replace the older and slower ferries during a sailing trip on Waitematā Harbour in the summer of 1981. The Hudson family acquired North Shore Ferries, a ferry company in Auckland, changing the name to include "Fullers", changing it yet again to "Fullers Group Limited". George stepped down from his role as CEO in 2007, and was replaced by his son, Douglas. in 2009, Brian Souter acquired the company, which became a part of the Souter Holdings group, as well as another ferry company, 360 Discovery Limited.[2]

Services

Fullers runs ferries from the Auckland Ferry Terminal in Quay Street, Downtown Auckland. Fullers operates to the North Shore suburbs of Devonport, Bayswater, Birkenhead, Northcote and Stanley Bay, as well as Half Moon Bay near the eastern suburb of Howick, and Waiheke Island.

Fullers also operates tourism/excursion ferry services to the Hauraki Gulf islands of Rangitoto Island and Great Barrier Island (seasonal). Services to Rangitoto are via Devonport, and Fullers also operates a Half Moon Bay – Waiheke service. For the tourism services, two new catamaran ferries, Adventurer and Wanderer, were purchased in 2006 and 2007 for NZ$3 million and NZ$2 million respectively. These vessels will also assist on the company's main ferry routes during peak hours.[1]

The MV Quick Cat

Fullers has recently increased prices despite declines in international and domestic fuel prices – and despite that many services are subsidised by tax payers via Auckland Transport public transport policies.

Vessels

The Te Kotuku arriving at the Auckland Ferry Terminal

The vessels of Fullers include:

  • Adventurer – catamaran ex World Heritage Cruises Tasmania
  • Capricornian Surfer - catamaran, 2 year loan from SeaLink Travel Group Australia, Auckland to Devonport service
  • D1 - catamaran, ex Explore Group ferry, currently berthed in Westhaven Marina
  • D6 - catamaran, ex Explore Group ferry
  • D7 - catamaran, ex Explore Group ferry
  • Harbour Cat – catamaran, originally named Pakatoa Cat
  • Korora - catamaran built 2016, primarily for Auckland-Waiheke service
  • Kea – longitudinally symmetrical catamaran built in 1988 and used on the Auckland CBD – Devonport service
  • Quickcat – catamaran built in 1987 and runs the Auckland–Waiheke service
  • Starflyte – catamaran built in 1999
  • Superflyte – catamaran built in 1995 and operates services to Waiheke Island and (seasonally) to Great Barrier Island
  • Tiger Cat – catamaran Built in 1995 purchased by Fullers in 2002
  • Wanderer – catamaran ex World Heritage Cruises Tasmania, built 1996
  • Takahē - catamaran, joined fleet in 2014
  • Te Kotuku - catamaran built by Q-West, 2014
  • Tiri Kat - former QuickCat II, catamaran built in 1993
  • Torea - catamaran built 2017, primarily Auckland-Waiheke service

Fullers occasionally charters Osprey, 22 metre catamaran, particularly used on Bayswater services

The vessels of 360 Discovery include:

The Discovery I
  • Discovery I - catamaran
  • Discovery II - catamaran
  • Discovery III - catamaran

Corporate information

In 2007, Fullers carried around 4.2 million passengers, on a total of 42,010 sailings (an average of almost 100 passengers per journey).[3][4] For the transport, it was fortunate to receive tax payer subsidies of around 84c per passenger and journey (except on the Waiheke Island service). Fullers recently increased prices despite a drop in diesel prices - making this one of the most expensive ferry trips in the world. Auckland subsidies are half the subsidy of Brisbane ferry operators (who only have a river to cross) and only a seventh of the subsidies paid for ferry public transport in Sydney.[3] In April 2009, Fullers' Auckland ferry services were sold by Infratil to Brian Souter's Highland Global Transport.[5]

Awards

In 2009, Fullers Ferries received a Cycle Friendly Award from Cycling Advocates' Network for the best cycle-friendly commitment by a business in New Zealand.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Dearnaley, Mathew (30 October 2007). "$2m cat for Birkenhead commuters". The New Zealand Herald. p. A8. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  2. ↑ "Our Story: A Little About Us". Fullers + 360 Discovery Cruises. Fullers Group Ltd. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Fullers floats ferry services as solution to traffic woes". The New Zealand Herald. NZPA. 28 February 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  4. ↑ Fullers Today (from the official company website)
  5. ↑ Radio New Zealand Morning Report, 7 April 2009
  6. ↑ "Fullers Wins NZTA Cycle-Friendly Award" (Press release). Scoop news. 23 November 2009. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
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