Sydney Harbour ferries: NSW Government looking at electric power for all vessels

Powering Sydney Harbour ferries with battery electric engines is being examined by authorities as the new Manly ferries are withdrawn from service after mechanical failures.

Transport authorities are looking into retrofitting Sydney Harbour ferries — including the troubled new Manly ferry fleet — with electric engines.

In its new “Future Transport Strategy” the NSW Government confirmed it is assessing whether to “prioritise electric ferries in new ferry procurement and refit of the existing fleet”.

And in its “Net Zero Plan Stage 1: 2020–2030 Implementation Update”, the government said it is “exploring the potential for battery electric ferries on Sydney Harbour”.

It’s part of a government move to make all its transport fleets, including ferries, buses and regional trains, free of greenhouse emissions by 2035.

The three new Generation 2 Emerald-class ferries Clontarf,, Fairlight and Balmoral, used on the Manly to Circular Quay run, could be retrofitted with electric engines. Picture: NSW Government

The examination of electric powered ferries comes as hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Manly Wharf on Sunday afternoon after one of the new Generation two Emerald-Class Manly ferries, the Clontarf, was taken out of service when its steering failed.

Then on Monday, the Fairlight, had a massive steering failure near Fort Denison, resulting in all three of the new Gen2 ferries being withdawn from service as a “precaution”.

Transport for NSW has ordered an immediate assessment to work out what happened with the Fairlight and whether it was linked to Sundy’s incident involving the Clontarf.

The twin-hulled ferries are operated by private transport giant Trandev on behalf of the government,

A Transdev spokesman said on Tuesday that two Emerald class ferries have experienced mechanical issues in the past two days.

“As a precautionary measure, all three Gen2 Emerald vessels have been withdrawn from service so that our maintenance team can inspect the vessels and fix the issue.

“Our teams are working hard to minimise disruption to customers.”

These new smaller, faster ferries were put into service late last year to replace the iconic 40-year-old and much larger and slower “Freshwater” class ferries that were seen as too uneconomical to run.

But since its introduction the new Emerald fleet of three vessels has been dogged by problems including a window smashed by a large wave; cracks in the welding joins in the hull; a propeller shaft failing; bolts on a rudder came loose and; cracks in a fuel tank.

The Generation 2 Emerald Class ferries have been criticised by their opponents for not being big enough to handle large swells near Sydney Heads Picture: Mark Crawley

A new gangway had to be installed at Manly Wharf because the passengers could not be loaded or unloaded in an extremely low tide because the gangway became too steep.

Transport for NSW launched a review in May of the Emerald-class vessels after a series of mechanical failures.

Ferry insiders said that on Sunday the new ferry “Clontarf” lost all steering control.

The ferry master was forced to use the vessel’s electric Emergency Backup Steering unit to avoid a potential collision or grounding.

Buses were called in to move passengers o Sunday, who had been visiting the seaside suburb for the annual Manly Jazz festival. Just prior to the announcement about 4pm that the Clontarf was out of action, a 200m-long passenger queue was already snaking out of the wharf.

A long queue formed outside Manly Wharf on Sunday, after an Emerald -class Manly ferry was withdrawn from service due to mechanical issues. Picture; Jim O'Rourke

In its transport strategy, released earlier this month. Transport for NSW stated that it would achieve zero emissions “by pursuing all feasible actions to decarbonise our operations”.

“Sydney Metro, Sydney Trains and urban NSW TrainLink services are already powered by 100 per cent green electricity, and we are assessing zero emissions options for our ferries and regional trains.”

The assessment of electric power was welcomed by a community campaign to “Save The Manly Ferry”, which is pushing the government to prepare a five-year plan setting out a “like for like” Freshwater replacement option, with the new, large ferries to be powered by electric engines.

The replacement of the Freshwater-class ferries has been the focus of a series of protests by those opposed to the Emerald-class vessels. A Save the Manly Ferry protest opposite NSW Parliament House in March, 2021. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

It’s been successful in having the government retain two of the Freshwater ferries for weekend services. One of the ferries also returned to the weekday timetable in August.

Northern Beaches Council’s deputy mayor Candy Bingham, one of the leaders of the campaign, said on Monday that she does not believe the new Gen 2 Emeralds would “last long enough to be retrofitted”.

“They’re constantly out of service,” Ms Bingham said. “They disappear for weeks to get repaired, which is very concerning.

“They should be absorbed back into the Inner-Harbour fleet, but if they last another five years, I’d be surprised, quite frankly”.

At Manly Wharf on Monday passengers told the Manly Daily they welcomed any initiative that would make the new ferries more reliable.

Ruby Grayson, 18, of Collaroy, at Manly Wharf on Monday. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

Ruby Grayson, 18, of Collaroy said while she only caught the ferry about once a month “you just want it to be reliable”.

But South African tourists from Durban, Stephen Mackinnon, and his son John, on their seventh visit to Sydney and staying on the northern beaches, say they have never had a problems with the Manly ferries.

“We visit and stay at Seaforth and have always caught the ferries and never had an issue,” Stephen said. “I can't see any problems.”

Stephen Mackinnon (left), from Durban in South Africa, with John Mackinnon, from Durban (right) with John's grandsons Ethan and Shaun Marshall, of Seaforth, at Manly Wharf. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

His father John agreed, adding: “I’m really fond of the old ferries. I can’t imagine why they wanted to take them out of service”.

Nathaniel Riddington, of Manly, liked the idea of ferries reducing carbon emissions by using electric power.

“Anything that’s more environmentally friendly has to be good,” Nathaniel said.

Nathaniel Riddington, 18, at Manly Wharf. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

In June it was reported that. a Danish the electric ferry, “Ellen” sailed more than 50 nautical miles (92 kilometres) on a single battery charge, setting a world record for the longest ranging fully electric ferry.

Transport for NSW has been contacted for comment.