Transport officials defend new Manly ferry after window shatters in sea trial

A window shattered and a rudder had a problem during large swell trials of a new Manly ferry at the weekend, but transport officials say she’ll be right.

A senior transport official has defended the troubled new Manly ferries after a window shattered and a rudder problem was identified during a trial of one of the vessels in large swells at the weekend.

The “Balmoral”, one of the three new smaller. faster and more frequent ferries to take over from the ageing Manly ferry fleet, was on Sydney Harbour on Saturday as part of a test near Sydney Heads when an issue with the rudder arose.

In calmer times. The new Emerald-class ferry “Balmoral” had a window shattered while undergoing sea trials in large seas on Sydney Harbour at the weekend. Picture: Nathan Edwards

Soon after a window on a passenger deck broke.

But Transport for NSW chief operations officer, Howard Collins, said on Monday, while confirming the incidents took place, that the problems with the second generation Emerald-class ferry was not associated with operating it in big seas.

Mr Collins told ABC Sydney radio that the “Balmoral:" was operating in relatively calm seas at the time the window shattered and the rudder issue occurred at the weekend.

“This is nothing to do with windows falling in, or rudders falling off.”

Transport chief Howard Collins said the broken window had nothing to do with the “Balmoral” operating in big seas. Picture: NSW Government.

This latest setbacks come as Sydney Ferries, run on behalf of the NSW Government by private transport company Transdev, has had to cope with a string of problems with the new ferries.

Two of the vessels, which can carry 400 passengers, are already on the Manly to Circular Quay route. But critics have said the new ferries would not cope with large swells across Sydney Heads.

The Government and Transdev have repeatedly said they were purpose-built to operate in heavy swells up to 4.5m.

On Sunday, November 21, the captain of the “Fairlight” withdrew it from service because the swell, running up 2.5m, was making the journey uncomfortable for passengers.

Transdev said the “Fairlight” was cancelled “following operational observations and modelling of predicted swell levels”.

One of the old ferries — the Freshwater — pushing through a heavy swell on November 22. Picture: Jonathan Ng

As a result of the “Fairlight” withdrawal, Transdev and transport officials scheduled a sea trial in what was predicted to be a period of heavy swell on Saturday.

Mr Colins said on Monday that he had seen a video of the window shattering and that it occurred in “relatively calm waters, it’s nothing to do with swell”.

He suggested it may have been a fault with the window’s installation.

“The evidence shows this is not the dramatic scene you’d imagine with waves breaking over and knocking the windows out, nothing like that whatsoever,” he told ABC Sydney.

Mr Collins the rudder on the “Balmoral” was still operational throughout Saturday’s trial, but a loose nut was noticed that would be fixed with a “small modification”.
“The swell got up to 3m. We patched up the window and went out again.

“In the end, it wasn’t a failed trial … we just didn’t get the swells that we needed to fully verify this vessel in 4m swells.”

Mr Collins pointed out that the new ferries had passed all required safety standards and requirements.

He said the “Fairlight” was operational on Monday morning in swells of 2-2.5m.