In the same year, it redeployed one of its fast ferries to New Zealand during the Northern Winter / Southern Summer, operating from Wellington to Picton.

The company also expanded its US holdings by acquiring a stake in Catalina Cruises, which operated ferries between Long Beach and Avalon in California.

In 1997, Holyman over-reached, acquiring a 67% interest in Sally Line, which operated an English Channel ferry between Ramsgate, England and Ostend, Belgium.

Weather conditions and technical issues with the Incat vessel also hampered operations, and ten months after Holyman Sally commenced, the company was in trouble.

At the same time, marketing inertia from local management, coupled with technical and environmental issues, meant Cat-Link also began to lose money.