Sydney Ferries

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With help from @7NewsSydney, we want you to name new Sydney ferries. #YourFerry https://t.co/bsol89ZLmvhttps://t.co/YwiH4zP2Hc

— Transport for NSW (@TransportforNSW) July 21, 2016

[ozbob]

Name your ferry



>> https://www.nameyourferry.com.au/

This year, our iconic Sydney Harbour will welcome the first of a new six-ferry fleet. It's history in the making, so the search is now on for memorable, new ferry names – and you can be a part of it.

[SurfRail]

^ Incidentally:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36225652

[ozbob]

https://www.nameyourferry.com.au/

Welcome to the voting stage of the Name Your Ferry competition.

This year, our iconic Sydney Harbour will welcome the first of a new six-ferry fleet. To celebrate this historic event, we launched a call to Name Your Ferry and we've received thousands of suggestions from people all over the world eager to be a part of history in the making.

We're now delighted to announce the shortlist of names as selected by our honorary panel, based on the below categories.

The final names will belong to only one category and this is your opportunity to vote on your favourites. Remember, once you vote for your preferred names, you can also enter our competition to win one of 50 family passes to ride the new ferry with our honorary panel!

Stay up to date with this historic competition by following us on social media via #YourFerry

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The first of Sydney's new harbour ferries is preparing for sail. @mikeduffynews #Ferries #7News https://t.co/Cp6jGQJQNB

— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) November 14, 2016

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The first of Sydney's new ferries will be named after world-renowned humanitarian Dr Catherine Hamlin. https://t.co/3suUf4UO4G #9News

— Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) November 15, 2016

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Sydney Ferry Blog --> First thoughts on Sydney's new ferry

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Sydney Morning Herald --> The problem with Sydney's new ferries

The entry into service of the first of six new government-owned ferries on Sydney Harbour in 16 years has been delayed because the Catherine Hamlin's small rudders and shallow hull make it difficult to manoeuvre in high winds.

The ferry, the first of a fleet of six such craft, was due to be pressed into service this month on the inner harbour, from Watsons Bay in the east to Cockatoo Island in the west, but sources say the retrofit work needed to bring it up to scratch means it is unlikely to be launched until March.

While it is not uncommon for new vessels to need alterations before they launch regular services, the raft of design issues found on the Catherine Hamlin is said to be significantly larger than usual.

The major problem encountered since the catamaran ferry began trials on Sydney Harbour in November has been maneuvering the vessel in high winds due to its shallow hull and small rudders, which has led to it sliding sideways on occasions.

"These problems will be rectified but ... it is just going to take time to fix," a source said.

The ferry is likely to need to be placed in a dry dock to allow its rudders to be replaced or altered to give it greater stability in the water.

The vessel, named after a pioneer in Australian medicine, is the first of six new ferries built by Tasmanian shipbuilder Incat, which is due to deliver all of them to the NSW government by the end of the year as part of an upgrade of Sydney's fleet.

Transport for NSW said it was "working with our designers and operators to make some adjustments to ensure that we maximise the performance" of the Catherine Hamlin following a number of trials since its arrival in Sydney.

"In the meantime, preparations are continuing for her entry into service, including crew training," a spokesman said.

He declined to outline what adjustments would be made to the ferry or when it would begin regular passenger services.

The changes to the Catherine Hamlin will be incorporated into the other ferries before they are completed at Incat's Hobart shipyard.

The new catamaran ferries will each carry up to 400 passengers and be run by the city's main private operator, Sydney Harbour Ferries. It recently extended a contract by another year to charter four vessels from Captain Cook Cruises operator Sealink.

The O'Farrell government awarded the Sydney Harbour Ferries consortium an $871 million contract in 2012 to operate the state's ferries for seven years.

The Catherine Hamlin and the five other 35-metre vessels to be built in Tasmania will replace some of the First Fleet ferries, which have sailed the harbour for decades.

They will be the first new vessels in the government-owned fleet since 2000 and 2001, when four SuperCats entered service.

Meanwhile, the completion of two new ferry wharves at Barangaroo, on the western edge of the central city, is running several months late.

The "ferry hub" was slated to be opened late last year but is not expected to begin handling passengers until March.

Incat declined to comment on the Catherine Hamlin or the work on the other ferries it is building for the NSW government.

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They do social media well in Sydney ..   

https://twitter.com/FerriesInfo/status/893589787302653952

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https://twitter.com/UrbanFerryist/status/903082048239296512

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Sydney Morning Herald --> New ferries to cater for population boom along Parramatta River

With a population boom under way in suburbs along the banks of the Parramatta River, the state government is buying four new ferries to meet growing demand for services from residents wanting to travel by water to and from Sydney's central business district.

Patronage on ferries plying the Parramatta River surged by almost 18 per cent to 259,260 passengers in July from the same month a year earlier, the latest figures from Transport for NSW show. The demand for the city's second-busiest route reflects fast-growing growing populations in spots such as Olympic Park and Breakfast Point.

Under plans to modernise Sydney's ferries, the government has begun seeking expressions of interest from shipbuilders for four ferries each capable of carrying 150 passengers.

Following selection of the successful bidder, construction of the new vessels is expected to begin next year and the first is due to sail by the middle of 2019. Four of the 11 ferries that now sail between Parramatta and the CBD are chartered.

Transport for NSW said it was turning its attention to Parramatta River customers after almost completing the introduction of six new ferries for Sydney Harbour.

"This builds on the 30 extra weekly ferry services along the Parramatta River introduced in June and further service improvements later in the year," the agency said.

Independent ferry consultant Robin Sandell said the purchase of the new vessels was likely to reflect the growing demand for services and the government's desire to reduce reliance on chartered vessels.

Roads and Maritime Services is also upgrading wharves along the Parramatta River route and has completed Olympic Park, Meadowbank, Chiswick, Huntleys Point, Drummoyne and Cockatoo Island.

A $59 million wharf capable of handling eight ferries at once opened at Barangaroo in June, which the government hopes will unlock capacity constraints on the network.

The Parramatta Rivercats that had been docking at Darling Harbour Wharf 3 on King Street Wharf, about 250 metres away, now use the Barangaroo ferry wharf.

The Liberal MP for Drummoyne, John Sidoti, said catching ferries had become increasingly popular, and one in five ferry trips in Sydney was now taken on the Parramatta River.

Meanwhile, the fifth of six new catamaran ferries for Sydney Harbour has arrived from Tasmanian shipbuilder Incat. The Bungaree will undergo trials before it is certified and pressed into service.

They are the first new vessels in the government-owned fleet since 2000 and 2001, when four SuperCats entered service.

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Sydney Morning Herald --> Fate of Sydney's last ladies of the harbour finally sealed

The fate of Sydney's last two Lady-class ferries has been sealed, after about four decades plying the city's harbour.

Despite a campaign by locals and a petition, the Lady Northcott made her final regular service on Tuesday from Manly to Circular Quay, before sailing under the Harbour Bridge at about 1pm to be tied up at the Balmain Shipyard.

The other Lady-class ferry, the Herron, was berthed at the shipyard a week ago, marking the end of an era for crews and passengers alike.

Transport for NSW confirmed that both Lady-class ferries had completed their "final regular services" and would now be retired, following the entry into service of five of Sydney's six new Emerald-class ferries built in Hobart.

Lavender Bay artist Peter Kingston, who is part of a group campaigning to save the ferries, said Sydney was losing the last two heritage forms of transport, which had been a major drawcard for tourists travelling to Taronga Zoo from Circular Quay.

"It is a tragedy for Sydney – the city has lost a connection with its glorious past," he said. "They were built at a time when people took a real pride in building traditional double-ended Lady-class ferries."

Mr Kingston, who has painted the Lady-class ferries for decades from his harbourside home, said locals would continue to fight for the ferries to be returned to regular runs.

"The government doesn't answer any questions that we ask them. They seem determined to get rid of the Lady-class ferries for no good reason," he said. "We are not giving up."

Sydney's Lady-class ferries were named after the wives of NSW governors, and the oldest – which have long since retired from ferry services – date to the 19th century. Some have ended up as party boats and one as a fish factory in Tasmania.

Built in Newcastle, the Lady Northcott entered service in 1975, and the Lady Herron began regular runs on the inner harbour four years later.

The Lady Northcott has been plying Sydney Harbour for 42 years.

Crews on the Northcott have been told they will begin "consolidation training" this week on Sydney's new replacement ferries.

Transport for NSW said the Lady-class ferries were retired because maintaining the two oldest vessels in the government-owned fleet was costly.

"Their daily operating costs are double that of the newer boats, while maintenance costs are around five times more than other vessels," it said.

"It is very difficult to find spare parts and last year this saw the Lady Northcott spend two months out of service while replacement components were either sourced, or custom made."

The lead transport agency will be calling for expressions of interest to run the two oldest ferries in the fleet as a "heritage operation".

The last of the six new Emerald-class ferries arrived in Sydney from Hobart on Tuesday, and crew training has begun for a new timetable next month.

The new 35-metre catamaran ferries have cost the government almost $52 million, and will be run by the city's main private operator, Sydney Harbour Ferries.

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https://twitter.com/FerriesInfo/status/924742217222078464

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https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/930117959766310912

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https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/930478003863171072

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https://twitter.com/FerriesInfo/status/930635790803091458

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AHRC --> Transport for NSW temporary exemption application – Birchgrove wharf

The Australian Human Rights Commission has received an application from Transport for NSW for a temporary exemption to the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (DSAPT) in relation to the Birchgrove ferry wharf in Sydney.
The application is made pursuant to s 33A.1 of the DSAPT.

An exemption is sought from compliance with section 2.1 (unhindered passage) and section 2.2 (continuous accessibility) of the DSAPT for the access path connecting Louisa Road to the Birchgrove wharf shelter.  Transport for NSW is seeking an exemption for five years to allow for further negotiations with Inner West Council and for consideration of alternative options for equivalent access.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Sydney ferry network needs fine-tuning as more services come on board

Sydney has copped its share of criticism this week – for being too big, too busy, and devoid of soul – but one of its great assets is its ferries.

Services and comfort levels have improved on Sydney Ferries and non-subsidised operators have expanded the customer offering. But with this growth has come complexity.

Sydney Cove is now dangerously congested, with so many ferries terminating at Circular Quay. And there is a poor fit between the design of vessels and Sydney's wharves, so it takes more time than it should for passengers to board and disembark, adding to the length of a journey.

Above all, the ferry system can be confusing and inconvenient for passengers. Your Opal card works on some trips but not others and there is no guarantee of a convenient bus or ferry connection.

These problems are further complicated by the fact Sydney's waterways are so diverse – a ferry that can pass the heads on the way to Manly can't go down the shallow waters of the Parramatta River, or navigate the narrow coves of the inner harbour.

The ferry network would be more efficient if it was broken down into modules, where services requiring similar vessels were grouped together, and all modules abided by a set or rules that allowed them to integrate with each other.

For Sydney Ferries, the most logical arrangement is to split its network into four modules – outer harbour (Manly); Watsons Bay/ Rose Bay; inner harbour and Parramatta River.

Non-subsidised operators should also comply with rules for integration. These include timetables which make it easy for passengers to transfer from one service to another, and full ticket integration. The fare structure must not penalise a passenger for transferring between ferries, or on to a bus or train, to complete a single journey.

The Bays Precinct, including the Fish Markets, Glebe Point and White Bay, is a logical candidate for a brand new module. Seamless integration with the rest of the network could be accomplished with timed transfers at Barangaroo to ferries headed for Parramatta and Circular Quay. Low emission, full electric ferry systems are now operating in Europe and could be ideal for use in the Bays Precinct.

There is a place for multiple ferry operators on Sydney Harbour, but they need to work together. Having a plan to do this should precede further ferry infrastructure projects, such as the redevelopment of Circular Quay. Without this, taxpayer money will not be well spent.

Robin Sandell is an independent ferry planning consultant.

I follow Robin on twitter @UrbanFerryist  really knows and understands well Sydney Ferries.

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Daily Telegraph --> Fast ferries from Olympic Park to city and Parramatta would cut times to under 30 minutes

FAST ferries on the Parramatta River are the vital next step to speed up access to Sydney Olympic Park, according to a new report released today.

The Olympic precinct is the only spot on the Parramatta River that cannot reach either the city or Parramatta CBDs in under 30 minutes.

"Current ferry services along the Parramatta River are slow, unreliable and poorly utilised," NRMA chief executive Rohan Lund said.

Mr Lund will tell the Sydney Business Chamber's Parramatta to Olympic Peninsula conference today that there also needs to be a Western Quay at Wentworth Point for fast ferry and bus transport.

"Fast ferries are an obvious transport choice for our waterside city," he said.

But at the moment the ferry route from Parramatta to the CBD is slower than catching a train or bus, the NRMA's New Transport Vision for the Olympic Peninsula report has found.

"While Sydney is getting the roads and public transport infrastructure it desperately needs, the NRMA believes the city's blue highways can be delivered quickly and cheaply, while being flexible and a favourite for tourists and regular users alike," Mr Lund said.

Today's conference will brainstorm ways to rejuvenate the Olympic precinct, with ideas including a proposal to build the Gateway Bridge across the river to a new housing­ development at Melrose Park.

The current ferry route from Parramatta to the CBD is slower than catching a train. Picture: Supplied

[SurfRail]

One thing that would help is if they cancel anything west of Rydalmere, where it takes forever for it to get anywhere and routinely needs to be replaced with buses at low tide anyway.  Then they could focus on running more (and more non-stop) services east of there.

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SMH --> Sydney's 'beloved' Manly ferries face prospect of last sailings

They have been immortalised by Australian Crawl's song, Reckless.

But more than three decades after they began cutting their way to Circular Quay from Manly, the four Freshwater-class ferries in the state's fleet of vessels face the prospect of being retired from Sydney's most popular run on Sydney Harbour.

It comes two months after French company Transdev signed a new $1.3 billion contract to run Sydney's ferries for the next nine years.

The private operator will put three new Emerald-class ferries on the Manly route as early as next year, leaving retirement on the horizon for the Freshwater ferries during the term of the new contract.

Graeme Taylor, from Action for Public Transport, said ferry staff had been told at a meeting last week that the Freshwater-class ferries would be retired, although a date was not given for their last sailings. Ferry masters on the Freshwaters had started training on the new Emerald-class vessels.

Mr Taylor said the retirement of the iconic ferries on Sydney Harbour would be a huge loss.

"They are a symbol of our city – they define us. They are priceless," he said.

Named after beaches in Sydney's north, the first of the double-ended ferries, the Freshwater, was launched in 1982, followed by the Queenscliff less than a year later, the Narrabeen in 1984 and the Collaroy in 1988. They can each carry about 1000 passengers, compared with the Emerald-class catamaran vessels which have capacity for about 400 people.

"They run all four of them over summer and they fill up all trips. These boats take 45,000 people a day to Manly in the summer," Mr Taylor said of the Freshwaters.

Transport for NSW said in a statement that "faster and more frequent services" would be delivered on the Manly route using the new Emerald-class ferries but added that "no decision has been made on the future of Freshwater class ferries".

"Our customers have told us that they want more frequent services and operating Emerald-class ferries on this route will deliver this," the agency said.

The Emerald-class ferries are likely to start operating regularly on the route sometime next year.

The three new vessels to be operated on the Manly-Circular Quay route will be leased by operator Transdev. They will be designed with a strengthened hull, which will reduce wear caused by more intense swells experienced when regularly crossing the heads.

The vessels will compete for passengers with the NRMA-owned Manly Fast Ferry, which has sole rights to operate fast-ferry services on the route.

The prospect of the Freshwater-class ferries being retired comes two years after Sydney's last two Lady-class ferries made their last regular sailings after four decades of carrying passengers.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Ferry U-turn: First Fleet vessels now set for upgrade in plan reversal

The state government has ditched plans to retire Sydney's nine First Fleet ferries, instead deciding to upgrade them and extend their working life for at least another decade.

While the city's renowned Freshwater-class Manly ferries face retirement, the First Fleet vessels – perhaps best known for their Australia Day race on Sydney Harbour – will each undergo a $1.3 million refit, including work to improve passenger accessibility.

The decision to upgrade the First Fleet ferries is a U-turn on the strategy detailed in internal government documents obtained by the Sun-Herald under freedom-of-information laws.

They reveal a four-stage "ferry fleet replacement" plan 18 months ago was to retire the First Fleet ferries as part of "tranche three", as well as seven RiverCat and two HarbourCat vessels.

The documents reveal that the "full replacement" of the large Freshwater-class ferries, which ply the popular Manly-Circular Quay route, has been on the drawing board since at least late 2017, despite internal plans for their future becoming public only last month.

The cost of refitting the First Fleet vessels, which began plying the harbour in the 1980s, has been estimated by Transport for NSW at about $1.3 million each.

In comparison, internal figures leaked from the agency have estimated the cost of replacing the First Fleet ferries, seven RiverCat vessels and two HarbourCats at about $120 million.

In response to questions, Transport for NSW said the strategy in the documents in late 2017 had been "superseded" and planning was underway to upgrade the First Fleet vessels.

"This is expected to add another 10 years to the life of these vessels, extending their service well into the 2030s," it said in a statement. "The upgrade will include improvements to their accessibility through the installation of technology such as hearing loops."

The agency said "no decision" had been made on the future of the four Freshwater-class ferries or the seven RiverCats. The latter form the backbone of Parramatta River services.

However, four SuperCat and two HarbourCat vessels will be replaced by 10 new ferries capable of operating on the Parramatta River. Those new ferries – to enter service progressively from mid next year – will be leased by French company Transdev, which in February was awarded a $1.3 billion contract to run the government-owned fleet for nine years.

Transdev will lease a further three Emerald-class ferries for routes on Sydney Harbour, boosting the number of those class of vessels to nine.

The first six Emerald-class catamaran ferries bought by the government were designed to look similar to the First Fleet vessels, and entered service on harbour routes in 2017.

Graeme Taylor, from Action for Public Transport, said it was an "excellent idea" to refurbish the First Fleet ferries and extend their working life. "They should last 15-plus years once refurbished," he said.

Mr Taylor said the case for retaining the large Freshwater-class ferries was also strong because their expensive steel hulls showed they were built for the long haul.

"They were built to last 60 years. If there is 15 years of economic life in them, the case for using that in the vessels is compelling. The bill to replace the four of them is eye-watering," he said.

Passenger demand for ferries is especially strong over the summer holidays and on Sundays when fares on public transport are capped at $2.50 for Opal card holders.

In making the case for replacing the city's ferries, the internal Transport for NSW documents dated late 2017 warned that the "existing fleet cannot sustain the expected patronage growth due to increase in the population of Sydney".

"The ferry system is expected to experience significant growth," they state.

"Without any network changes, total demand ... is set to increase, based on general demand for services and the location of key urban development precincts in close proximity to ferry services."

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https://twitter.com/9NewsSyd/status/1135719848317599744

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A few photographs on the ferries ..





































Photographs R Dow 1st July 2019

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Manly Fast Ferry cuts non-peak services by quarter as passengers drop https://t.co/4WCFdHD2K4 via @smh #nswpol

— RAIL_BoT_Forum (@railbotforum) August 5, 2019

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https://twitter.com/UrbanFerryist/status/1185015419876196352

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https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1234496710262415361

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https://twitter.com/9NewsSyd/status/1296723162823000064

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Sydney Morning Herald --> 'Duck!': The problem with Sydney's new ferries


Sydney's new ferries, which won't be able to accommodate passengers on the upper deck when they pass under two bridges.
CREDIT:JOHN BENNETT

Ten new Sydney ferries will not be able to pass under two bridges on the Parramatta River if commuters are seated on the top deck, the government has confirmed.

The new River Class ferries, which have been built in Indonesia and shipped to Australia, are due to enter service on Sydney Harbour later this year.

But passengers seated on the top deck will need to be called below before the new ferries can pass under the Camellia Railway Bridge and the Gasworks Bridge near Parramatta.

"While customers are able to enjoy the upper deck during their commute, they will need to move to the lower deck when passing the bridge," a Transport for NSW spokeswoman said.

Opposition transport spokesman Chris Minns said the "fiasco" posed a safety risk and would cost transport workers time to police.

"Unless Andrew Constance himself is going to yell 'duck' as these ferries pass under bridges this looks to be a huge time waste for ferry staff," Mr Minns said.

"Now alongside late-running trains and COVID-safe buses, commuters will have to worry about bridges knocking their heads off as they battle Sydney's transport."

The TfNSW spokeswoman said the government and ferry operator Transdev were aware of the issue when the vessels were ordered, and pointed to some charter boats that have a viewing deck that also experience the issue.

But ferry expert Graeme Taylor, from Action for Public Transport, said most charter vessels didn't venture to Parramatta as much as the new ferries would need to.

"They bought an off-the-shelf option so the thing doesn't fit properly," Mr Taylor said.

"[People] would be severed from the waist up, at high tide it's a matter of centimetres.

The government says the ferry operator will implement "operational procedures" to remove people from the top deck before it reaches the low lying bridges, including signage, announcements and crew directing commuters.

The new vessels have capacity for 200, including 122 indoor seats, 18 outdoor seats on the lower deck, and 10 seats on the upper deck.

The ferries will be added to circulation with the existing River Cats, which seat 230 people. They will replace the SuperCats, HarbourCats and four charter vessels that are supplementing regular services.

Four of the 10 ferries recently arrived in Newcastle where they will undergo completion works and trials.

"Details of the names for the new ferries will be released in the coming weeks," the TfNSW spokeswoman said.

Mr Minns said the bridge problem was an example of problems borne out of governments outsourcing manufacturing overseas.

"This will rank alongside intercity trains that don't fit the track, or the 'Ferry McFerry Face' fiasco as another national joke," he said.

The cost of leasing the new ferries is part of the $1.3 billion contract awarded to Transdev in February 2019.

The contract also includes the cost of operating Sydney Ferries for the next nine years and the trial of On Demand services.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance was contacted for comment.

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Daily Telegraph --> Sydney ferries: New service for Sydney and multiple wharf upgrades to create 1300 jobs

A new ferry service running across Botany Bay and multiple wharf upgrades are set to be rolled out across the state to boost jobs and the economy, it was announced on Thursday.

The $205 million investment, which will also include regional dredging and maritime property improvements, will create nearly 1300 jobs.

Around 470 of those jobs will be in the regions.

Minister for Transport Andrew Constance made the announcement at Manly, which will get $25 million to replace Wharf 3, which services Captain Cruise and Fast Ferry routes, allowing better access for the disabled and parents with prams.

The ferry wharves at Double Bay, Darling Point and Greenwich Point are among those being made safer.

"I can't recall an announcement this large for maritime infrastructure for NSW from the regions to the harbour," Mr Constance said.

He said one of the most exciting projects was a new ferry service from La Perouse to Kurnell, where Captain Cook first landed and which he said was regarded as "the birthplace of the nation".

Around $16m of the funds will help fund construction of the Kamay ferry wharves, planned to connect La Perouse and Kurnell, which is home to a national park.

Mr Constance said work will begin on the new ferry route infrastructure in the next 12 months and within the next two to three years it should be up and running.

In the regions there will be dredging projects and improvements to boat ramps.

He said "everyone was going to benefit", and it "couldn't come at a better time in terms of COVID and trying to drive jobs."

"This is our way to stimulate great outcomes for the community, but at the same time, you know jobs, jobs and more jobs," he said.

However, Mr Constance said while the government was investing heavily in the ferry network, He warned people not to become complacent and to wear masks while using the services.

"I am worried about COVID risk across the network," he said.

"We can't lose the discipline and focus.

"Everyone needs to continue to put the masks on."

He said staff will continue to monitor the harbour wharves throughout summer to ensure people are social distancing, with the expected increase in numbers.

He appealed for passengers to be patient and if they see a large crowd to walk away, as that was the safest thing to do.

He also spoke about the decommissioning of Manly's iconic Freshwater class ferries and replacing them with the smaller and faster Emerald class boats.

Mr Constance said he was aware that it was a sensitive issue for Sydneysiders, especially residents on the northern beaches, who were fond of the large ferries, and they were investigating whether to keep one or two.

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Sydney Morning Herald --> Transport Minister calls time on Sydney's 'iconic' Manly ferries


A Freshwater ferry on its way to Manly on Friday. CREDIT:DOMINIC LORRIMER

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance says time is up for Sydney's world-renowned Freshwater ferries – immortalised by Australian Crawl's song Reckless – that ply the Manly to Circular Quay route.

The first of the four ferries is set to be removed from service next year, while the others are likely to be retired as early as 2022.

The plan to retire the largest vessels in the government-owned fleet has been described as devastating by ferry enthusiasts, who warn it will leave a large gap in capacity over summer months on Sydney's most popular harbour route.

While acknowledging their importance to the community, Mr Constance said the Freshwater-class ferries were costly to maintain and "their time has come".

"[The Freshwater-class is] at the end of its life after 40 years and we are running a modern-class ferry fleet," he said. "My preference is to maintain and try and keep at least one of the vessels on the harbour going ... but, that said, we're yet to make that final determination."

Graeme Taylor, from community group Action for Public Transport, said the Manly ferries were part of the fabric of the city, and were an international tourist attraction. "It is just devastating. They are iconic," he said.

Mr Taylor said their retirement would reduce capacity on the Manly to Circular Quay route significantly, leading to longer queues at ferry wharves and gridlock on arterial routes such as Military Road on the north shore during weekends as people sought other ways to get to Manly.

The government intends to use three new Emerald-class ferries to replace the Freshwater vessels.

But Mr Taylor said the newer ferries were much smaller, warning that there would not be nearly enough capacity to transport large numbers of people over summer months.

Named after beaches in Sydney's north, the first of the double-ended ferries, the Freshwater, was launched in 1982, followed by the Queenscliff less than a year later, the Narrabeen in 1984 and the Collaroy in 1988.

They can each carry about 1000 passengers, compared with the Emerald-class catamaran vessels that have capacity for about 400 people.

The looming retirement of the Freshwater ferries comes three years after Sydney's last two Lady-class ferries made their last regular sailings after four decades of carrying passengers.

Lavender Bay artist Peter Kingston, who unsuccessfully campaigned to save the Lady-class ferries, said the retirement of the large double-ended Freshwater ferries would be a huge loss to the city.

"They have lost the plot. They know the price of everything and the value of nothing," he said of the government. "Their scale is right for Sydney Harbour."

Asked this week whether Sydneysiders were too sentimental about ferries, compared to buses and trains, Mr Constance said: "Yes."

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https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1315423292447100928

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https://www.megaphone.org.au/petitions/save-the-manly-ferries-1

Why is this important?

NSW Liberal Transport Minister Andrew Constance says time is up for Sydney's world-renowned Freshwater ferries – immortalised by Australian Crawl's song Reckless – that ply the Manly to Circular Quay route.

The first of the four ferries is set to be removed from service next year, while the others are likely to be retired as early as 2022.

Internationally recognisable, these doubled-ended "Manly ferries" are the iconic jewel in the crown for Sydney Harbour and an Australian institution.

The proposed successor Emerald-class ferry will see passenger capacity reduced from 1100 passengers down to 400 passengers per trip. There is no doubt that this will have a major impact on the levels of tourism to Manly, particularly through school holidays and the warmer months.

Of course, the Emerald Class will simply not be able to handle the seas across the Heads and operate to the 5m swell limit like the Freshwater-class does.

To remove these vessels would be the same as pulling the Staten Island ferries out of New York, the Star Ferries out of Hong Kong or the Cable Cars out of San Francisco. All iconic in their own nature. This announcement is simply the wrong decision.

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https://twitter.com/UrbanFerryist/status/1315575487716970496

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https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1330895881952919555

[ozbob]

Robin Sandell

More new ferries for Sydney are on their way - more river cats, plus the modified Emerald Class boats designed for the Manly run. https://instagram.com/p/CH7IvdTBDCa/?igshid=5te46b8msevz

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> 'Compromise position': Minister saves one Manly ferry, offers to sink another

One of Sydney's world-renowned Freshwater ferries could be sunk off the city's northern beaches for use as a diving site after the state government confirmed it will retire three of the vessels from service between Manly and Circular Quay early next year.

While the Collaroy – the youngest of the four Freshwater ferries in the fleet – will remain in service permanently, it will operate only on weekends and public holidays, and at a reduced frequency on Sydney's busiest ferry route between 10am and 7pm. ...

[Matt]

' They are double the cost of the Emerald class',  yeah but...... the Freshwater class is paid off, written down, owe nothing, whatever the accountants call it,  jeez the world is run by beancounters who know the cost of everything, and the value of nothing.

The new boats have to be paid for and what's the bet , being Chinese built, they will not see 40 years of faithful service like the ones they will replace, they will be like Brisbane's Indian trains, not fit for service without millions extra spent on them, already asbestos has been found in them, on a 2020 built product, spare me.
The govt says they will save $6M by getting rid of them, this from a govt who paid $30M for a $3m block of land for gods sake.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/smh/status/1336196380726075392

" Transport Minister Andrew Constance has indicated the government will keep a second Freshwater ferry in service on Sydney Harbour, less than a month after announcing all but one of the world-renowned vessels would be removed from service. ... "