Waka Tairawhiti: Fuelled by Coconut Oil



Blue Coconut Director, John Drew, had the pleasure of being on-site for the recent launch ceremony of waka Hourua Tairawhiti in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland). For Tairawhiti Voyaging Trust chief executive, Te Aturangi Nepia-Clamp, the much anticipated day marked the realisation of a long-held dream.

It was the early 90’s when Nepia-Clamp first had the idea of an educational waka for Tairawhiti, to enable those on board to learn the history of the region’s ancestors.  Twenty-seven years and 1.2 million dollars later, the double hulled voyager is ready to begin providing a water-based learning environment, with a focus on local history, conservation and ocean sustainability.

Remarkably, it’s two diesel engines are fuelled by Blue Coconut’s pure Pacific Island coconut oil. The on-board engineer reports that it runs better on coconut oil than it ever did on diesel! An amazing achievement and so much better for the world!

Our sincerest congratulations to all involved in making this a reality. You can stay updated by visiting the Tairawhiti Voyaging Trust’s Facebook page here.