Post-tender upgrades are ‘disappointing in the extreme’, says shipbuilder Robert Clifford

Incat and other companies would have tendered for the Bruny Island ferry contract it they knew infrastructure upgrades were coming, the shipbuilder’s boss says.

Cars leaving the Bruny Island Ferry at Kettering. Picture: EDDIE SAFARIK

SHIPBUILDER Robert Clifford says his company and at least two other parties would have tendered for the Bruny Island ferry contract if he had known berthing infrastructure would be updated 12 months later.

Mr Clifford is among those in the shipping sector upset that big money is now being spent upgrading facilities when the State Government stipulated during the tendering process no money would be spent and potential contractors needed to show they could operate an efficient ferry service using the current infrastructure.

BRUNY ISLAND POST-TENDER WORKS QUESTIONED

Mr Clifford said Incat, in partnership with an experienced operator, proposed last year to tender for the Bruny Island ferry services.

“We proposed two 56 metre ferries with four-lane loading and sailings at 15-minute intervals from both sides – a system capable of moving 500 cars per hour,” he said.

“The proposed two four-lane pontoons [one on each side] would have allowed auto docking for quick loading, thus eliminating long queues and the need for a booking system.

“The bureaucrats told us that our tender would not be considered as we did not intend maintaining the existing antiquated, inadequate facilities of single-lane loading ramps and docks.

“We pulled out because there was no point tendering if we knew we would not win and I know of at least two other entities that thought the same.”

Incat owner Robert Clifford said he planned to tender for the Bruny Island ferry service but pulled out because his proposal would require new infrastructure. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

In the end just three tenderers vied for the job – the existing ferry operator, Bruny Island and Tasman Island Cruises, and SeaLink, which was ultimately awarded the deal.

SEALINK TO OFFER CHEAPER FARES

FERRY PLANS REVISED IN WIN FOR RESIDENTS

The Mercury revealed today that the State Government was about to announce millions of dollars would be spent building a second loading ramp at both Roberts Point on Bruny Island and Kettering on the Tasmanian mainland.

“To learn that the terminals are now to be addressed is disappointing in the extreme,” Mr Clifford said.

Labor’s David O’Byrne said the ferry services’ struggle to keep up with demand last summer showed it was not going to work with the current service model and infrastructure.

He said islanders and other ferry users would welcome the improvements but the argument was about the fairness of the tender process.

In Budget estimates, Transport Commissioner Gary Swain said the infrastructure exclusion was part of making sure the Government had comparable proposals to evaluate.