The company, trading as RealNZ, has been granted non-notified consent by independent commissioner Dr Lee Beattie to operate up to four Fiordlander-class vessels, capable of carrying between 72 and 83 passengers, plus crew, on each, with a maximum of 14 return sailings a day.
In its application, the company said there had been a growing demand for mountain biking tourism, largely driven in the Queenstown Lakes area by the Otago Central Rail Trail and, since 2014, the Around The Mountains Cycle Trail, which joins Walter Peak with Mossburn, Lumsden, Athol, Garston and Kingston.
RealNZ and Southern Discoveries also operated a half-day, 14km "Station 2 Station" self-guided bike tour between Mt Nicholas Station’s wharf and RealNZ’s Walter Peak Station wharf.
"We anticipate this demand for mountain biking on the Mt Nicholas-Beach Bay Rd will continue to grow, including for ‘group’ business.
"Accordingly, if a Fiordlander-class vessel is shuttling back and forth from Walter Peak, we will need to use this vessel to also transport cyclists and their mountain bikes."
The additional boats would also take some pressure off the 110-year-old TSS Earnslaw, the application said.
For the past few decades, Earnslaw had been surveyed for 410 passengers, down from the initial 500, but the company had recently further reduced its operational capacity to about 320.
"Because of this reduction, we will need to operate at least one of our Fiordlander class vessels in support of the TSS Earnslaw to operate a regular service, mainly shuttling between Queenstown Bay and Walter Peak."
The new service would also provide substitution boats for the Earnslaw while it was out of action during its annual survey.
In his decision, Dr Beattie said while the company initially proposed to operate the service between 8am and 10pm daily, it later requested extended hours, from 7am to 1am.
That was subject to final approval and support from key stakeholders, including iwi.
Meanwhile, Fish and Game had some initial concerns with one of the three routes to be used traversing by Sunshine and Wilsons Bays, given its potential to cause interference with shore anglers.
However, during the consultation period, the company clarified a 200m clearance of any vessel from the shore would be provided, with the exception of berthing at Queenstown Bay and Walter Peak.
Overall, adverse effects with regard to waste disposal, recreational users, landscape and amenity were considered less than minor, Dr Beattie said.
RealNZ chief executive Stephen England-Hall could not be reached for comment yesterday.
