Manly ferry: Delay before iconic ferries replaced by smaller vessels
Debate about whether the Manly ferries should be replaced by faster and more frequent vessels is set to continue after confirmation that delivery of the new boats has been delayed.
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Commuters wanting to catch the smaller, faster and more frequent vessels set to replace Sydney’s iconic Manly ferries will have to wait with transport officials confirming their delivery has been delayed.
In January Transport for NSW said the Emerald-class catamaran style vessels would begin operation around the “middle of 2021”.
TfNSW also said that two of the four “Freshwater-class” ferries — the Narrabeen and the Queenscliff — would be officially retired.
It also confirmed the other two older ferries, the Collaroy and the Freshwater, would keep running between Manly and Circular Quay at weekends only.
In a TfNSW media release dated January 14, 2021, authorities stated: “The Narrabeen and Queenscliff will officially retire around the middle of the year when the Freshwater returns from major maintenance and the Emerald Class vessels begin operation on the F1 Circular Quay – Manly rout”.
But the devastating floods in March, which hit parts of Port Macquarie — where the three new ferries are being commissioned — means the delivery of the new vessels is behind schedule.
TfNSW has told the Manly Daily that the new 400-seat Emerald-class ferries are still based in a shipyard, owned by Australia shipbuilders Birdon, on the Hastings River, going through the final commissioning phase.
They will be then be handed over to Transdev, the French-based company operating the Sydney Ferries fleet, for seaworthiness trials before entering into service “in coming months”.
Transport Minister Andrew Constance has previously said the new faster public ferries will take about 22 minutes to complete the Manly to city journey. He said the Emerald-class ferries will also save $6 million a year in operating costs.
In March The Daily Telegraph reported that problems with the news vessels could delay them being put into service.
The Maritime Union of Australia revealed that more than 80 defects or safety observations were made by inspectors when the Emerald Class ferries were delivered to Australia.
The problems identified by the union included faulty windows and poor plumbing in the engine rooms.
A TfNSW spokesman said this week that until the new generation Emerald Class ferries “come into service in the coming months, F1 route Circular Quay – Manly customers will continue to be serviced by Freshwater class vessels.
“The Queenscliff is currently operational and will continue to operate up until its retirement,” the spokesman said.
“The Narrabeen is not retired and customers will get further opportunities to travel on the vessel.
“We will update the community about the retirement plans for both the Queenscliff and Narrabeen in due course.”
TfNSW confirmed that there were still some minor modifications to the new ferries to be made to ensure customer comfort and accessibility, which will be completed soon.
It also reminded commuters the new ferries have been purpose built to operate in heavy swells.
EARLIER:
‘Months’ before Manly ferries replaced
On January 8, 2021
It will be “months” at least before commuters to the city will be able catch the smaller, faster and more frequent vessels set to replace Sydney’s iconic Many ferries.
The three new 400-seat Emerald-class ferries are still undergoing internal fit outs in a shipyard at Port Macquarie.
And, transport officials told the Manly Daily on Friday, the new ferries will have to complete extensive sea trials before they sail for Sydney Harbour.
News that the replacements for the four, 40-year-old Freshwater-class ferries will not occur until well into 2021, has delighted organisers of a community campaign to have the old ferries retained until a fleet of new 1000-seat, double-decker vessels can be put into service.
Campaign organiser Candy Bingham, the deputy mayor of Northern Beaches Council, said the campaign now had more time to collect 20,000 signatures on a petition calling on the NSW Government to halt the project.
In October Transport Minister Andrew Constance announced that the large 1100-seat ferries would be ditched and replaced with three new smaller ferries on the Circular Quay service from “next year”. No start date was announced.
Mr Constance said the large ferries were well below passenger capacity and the move would save taxpayers about $6 million a year in running costs.
But critics said the new ferries were too small and would not handle the large oceans swells that sometimes roll through Sydney Harbour Heads. They also said removing the old larger ferries would hurt the tourist trade on the northern beaches.
After a community backlash the Minister, in November, said that one of the four Freshwater-class ferries would be kept for tourist trips on weekends and public holiday “until 2023”.
Then in December, at the height of the Save the Manly ferries campaign, which included lobbying by the Liberal State MP for Manly James Griffin, Mr Constance said Transport for NSW (TfNSW) would look into the possibility of retaining a second Freshwater ferry for weekend use.
“A date for when the new Emerald Class will start carrying customers will be determined after the completed vessels arrive in Sydney for commissioning and crew training,” a TfNSW spokesman said.
“The detail regarding exact service times and timetable will be worked through over the coming months in close consultation with the operator. It will be released closer to the commencement of services.”
When the Emerald ferries arrive, 328 services will be added to the Manly timetable each week, ferries will arrive every 10 minutes and the trip will take 22 minutes instead of half an hour.
Ms Bingham said the ferry campaign would have a “major blitz” this weekend to collect names on the petition to be presented to State Parliament next month.
“We will be blitzing the area near the Manly oceanfront, around Dee Why, the East Esplanade at Manly, any areas were people gather in numbers.
“It is going to take them some time to roll out these ferries so it gives us more time to build community resistance to the idea.”
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