Sydney’s grand ferries’ use-by date is set as fleet goes electric

Sydney’s ferry fleet will be electrified over the coming decade in a major shake-up that could result in the last three large Manly ferries retiring by 2030 as they are replaced with “Freshwater-like” vessels.

Under the state government’s medium-term plans, all diesel-powered vessels in the state’s 40-strong fleet of various sizes will be replaced with locally built electric or hydrogen ferries by 2035.

Workers toil away on the bottom of the Fairlight ferry in the dry dock at Balmain shipyard on Monday. Credit: Nick Moir

The plans mean nine First Fleet ferries – perhaps best known for their Australia Day race on Sydney Harbour – will also be retired by the end of the decade after more than four decades in service.

Designs for their replacements are due to start this year, in concert with the rollout of charging infrastructure and modifications to shipyards to accommodate electric vessels.

The large Freshwater-class ferries synonymous with the Manly-Circular Quay route – Sydney’s busiest – are set to be retired by July 2030 unless their licences to operate are extended again.

The government is spending $71 million on refurbishing three of the four Freshwater-class ferries, which covers the cost of dry docking and extending the vessels’ service life. The Narrabeen will enter dry dock at Garden Island next February before returning to service several months later, while the Freshwater will go into dry dock in July next year.

However, the Collaroy – the youngest of the four – was pulled from service last September and will not return because the government has deemed it “prohibitively expensive” due to its “one-of-a-kind-build”. The ferry’s future lies in the hands of potential buyers or community groups.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen inspects the Fairlight in the dry dock at the Balmain ship yard. Credit: Nick Moir

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said it was important to plan for the future of the ferry fleet despite extending the service life of three of the large Manly vessels.

“Manly needs high-capacity, reliable vessels that can load and unload hundreds of commuters and tourists within minutes,” she said. “We are on a journey to replace the Freshwaters with a Freshwater-like, zero emissions ferry.”

Transport for NSW has short-listed proposals from several Australian-based businesses for replacements for the 70-metre-long Manly ferries.

The Freshwater ferry at Balmain shipyard on Monday.Credit: Nick Moir

Haylen said the replacements would be a “little bit shorter” because the existing Freshwater-class vessels were too large for the dry dock at Balmain shipyard, and had difficulty getting into the navy’s Garden Island facilities.

She declined to say what it was likely to cost to replace the government-owned fleet with electric or hydrogen-powered vessels over the next decade.

Northern Beaches councillor Candy Bingham, who had campaigned to keep the large ferries, said it was not possible to electrify the existing Freshwater-class ferries because of the high cost, and the “look-alike” replacement vessels would have all the facilities of the old.

“The top deck will be a sundeck because it won’t have any funnels. It’ll still be the grand old Manly ferry – it’ll just be more efficient,” she said.

“It’s just like the iconic red London buses which were converted years ago to electric. As far as the tourists are concerned, it’s still a red London bus.”

The Fairlight ferry will have its engine replaced over the coming months.Credit: Nick Moir

Transport for NSW ferry projects director Tony New said the agency would look to build two Freshwater-inspired vessels initially, which would service the Manly-Circular Quay route with three second-generation Emerald-class ferries.

“We’re talking to a number of companies to help us understand what the next-generation of Freshwater would look like,” he said.

New said the greatest challenge would be installing charging technology at wharves due to the need to lay cables and requirements of vessels.

Transport for NSW is also preparing a business case to buy an electric-powered Parramatta River-class ferry, which could be ready for trials by early 2026. If it is purchased, it will be Sydney Ferries’ first electric vessel, and bolster the size of the river-class fleet to eight.

The release of the medium-term plans comes as the Fairlight – one of three second-generation Emerald-class ferries – undergoes major maintenance in the dry dock at Balmain shipyard, which will include installing a new engine.

The three Chinese-built Emerald-class ferries, which have had a chequered history since entering service in 2021, are being fitted with heavier-duty engines to reduce the frequency of required maintenance and load restrictions.

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