Emerald ferries to finally get motors replaced after years of steering failures and engine faults

The engines of Sydney’s troubled Emerald ferry fleet will be ripped out after years of embarrassing breakdowns repeatedly forced the vessels out of service.

The engines of the blighted Emerald ferry fleet will be ripped out and replaced with new heavy duty motors, with the NSW government driven to the move after years of embarrassing breakdowns repeatedly forced the vessels out of service.

The second generation Emerald vessels servicing the Manly to Circular Quay route will be taken off the water, one at a time, for the work.

It is believed it will take up to 10 weeks for each vessel to have its engine replaced, with ferry operator Transdev to shoulder the cost.

It comes following dozens of problems being logged on the fleet since it was introduced in 2021.

The Telegraph reported a year ago all three generation two Emerald ferries – the Balmoral, Clontarf and the Fairlight – were all taken offline at the same time with mechanical issues.

This included problems with the engine of the Clontarf which “basically exploded”, spraying oil and shards of metal around the engine room.

The Balmoral was docked on Sunday for a re-fit. Picture: Toby Zerna

The China-built fleet, purchased by the former Coalition government, also had repeated steering failures, leading to a “root and branch” review being undertaken by Labor when they won government last year.

The absence of the ferries will be covered by the two iconic Freshwater Ferries and the remaining two Emeralds, with a timetable featuring extra services brought in over summer to remain over the coming months.

The "Balmoral" at Balmain Shipyard in 2023. All three Chinese-built Emerald 2 ferries have suffered engine issues. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The Balmoral docked at Balmain Shipyard on Sunday to begin its engine replacement.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the major changes to the motors came “thanks to a strong campaign from the community and from our friends at the Daily Tele”.

The ferries have been blighted with issues since hitting the water. Picture: Transport for NSW

“Now we’ve got a great outcome for passengers and a more reliable Manly Ferry service,” she said.

“These overseas-built ferries had a challenging start to their time on the harbour, but these new engines will mean the ferries will spend less time out of service and more time serving passengers.

“Passengers can still enjoy an iconic trip on the harbour to and from Manly on one of the iconic Freshwater Class vessels, which are now running every hour giving passengers more choice and increasing passenger capacity on the popular F1 ferry route.”

The re-fit will include engines capable of being powered on hydrogen fuel, with up to 30 workers on the project.

Once the Balmoral is back in service in about 10 weeks time, work will begin on the Clontarf, with the Fairlight scheduled for its engine changeover in August.

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Originally published as Emerald ferries to finally get motors replaced after years of steering failures and engine faults