IBISWorld Platform
Answer any industry question in minutes with our entire database at your fingertips.
Water Passenger Transport in New Zealand Industry Data and Analysis
The industry experienced steep declines in revenue during the pandemic, with international border closures limiting tourism spending, while lockdowns and restrictions having impacts on commuter travel. This led to revenue declining over the three years through 2021-22. The recovery from these conditions over the four years through 2025-26 in revenue terms has been slow amid weakening economic conditions, and industry margins have continued to suffer due to mounting maintenance and wage costs and elevated fuel costs. Overall, industry revenue is anticipated to have grown at an annualised 2.4% over the five years through to 2025-26, to $377.5 million, off a low base years in 2020-21. Domestic economic conditions are expected to start improving in 2025-26 but remain relatively weak, with revenue is expected to grow by 0.4%.
Access this data your way
The Water Passenger Transport in New Zealand Industry analysis is available in multiple formats to fit seamlessly into your workflow.
API Data Delivery
Feed trusted, human-driven industry intelligence straight into your platform.
Integrations
Streamline your workflow with IBISWorld’s intelligence built into your toolkit.
What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released July 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand operates under the ANZSIC industry code I4820NZ. Industry players operate vessels that transport passengers by water. This includes foreign, inter-island and local ferry operation, and passenger boat hire with operators. Related terms covered in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand include inbound tourism, outbound tourism and interislander ferry.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand include Local water transport, Long-distance water transport and Boat hire with operator.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand include KiwiRail, Fullers Group and StraitNZ.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand.
Trusted by industry professionals
More than 6,000 businesses use IBISWorld to shape local and global economies
We were able to supplement our reports with IBISWorld’s information from both a qualitative and quantitative standpoint. All of our reporting now features some level of IBISWorld integration.
IBISWorld delivers the crisp business knowledge we need to drive our business. Whether it be serving up our major clients, winning new business or educating on industry issues, IBISWorld brings real value.
IBISWorld has revolutionised business information — which has proved commercially invaluable to exporters, investors and public policy professionals in Australia and overseas.
When you’re able to speak to clients and be knowledgeable about what they do and the state that they operate in, they’re going to trust you a lot more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand in 2026?
The market size of the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand is $377.5m in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand in 2025?
There are 64 businesses in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.3 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand?
The Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand?
The Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand has been growing at a CAGR of 2.4 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand?
The biggest companies operating in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand are KiwiRail, Fullers Group and StraitNZ
What does the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand include?
Passenger ferry service and Water taxi service are part of the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand?
The company holding the most market share in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand is KiwiRail.
How competitive is the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand?
The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Water Passenger Transport industry in New Zealand.
Cut through the noise with intelligence you can trust
