On 30 April 2023, the Commission recommended that Maritime New Zealand require KiwiRail to provide evidence to Maritime New Zealand’s satisfaction that safety-critical rubber expansion joints onboard all vessels within KiwiRail’s Interislander fleet are fit for purpose taking into account the manufacturer’s guidance, namely:
• they should be no older than eight months from the date of manufacture when installed
• they are inspected annually including visual, tactile and hardness measurements
• regardless of inspection findings, safety-critical REJs should be replaced after five years.
