The Francis Bodkin is the first of seven new Australian-built ferries set to enter service in Sydney over the next 18 months. Its name honours a D’harawal elder who has dedicated her life to cataloguing plants native to western Sydney. Photo: Incat Crowther.
The first of seven new Australian-built ferries has entered service on Sydney’s Parramatta to Circular Quay route.
The Parramatta-class ferries were ordered last July.
They are being manufactured in Hobart, Tasmania, by Richardson Devine Marine (RDM) from a design by Sydney-based Transdev and renowned Australian marine engineering company Incat Crowther. They will replace the RiverCat ferries, which have been in operation on the Parramatta River since the mid-1990s.
The new ferries are the second attempt to replace the RiverCats, after a previous effort ended in disaster because 10 River-class ferries that were built offshore and were expected to enter service in 2020 were delayed by some 18 months, and were then found to be too high for two of the low bridges on the Parramatta River.
The River-class vessels had other issues, including the angle of the wheelhouse glass making it difficult to see out at night; engines that would intermittently stall; asbestos, which was found to have been used in their construction; and other safety concerns.
Although the new Parramatta-class vessels look similar to the failed River class, the new ferries were designed in consultation with unions to Australian design standards.
Each vessel can carry up to 200 passengers, some 60 fewer than the RiverCats, but they use 40 per cent less diesel fuel and have been designed for a possible future conversion to electric power.
The new ferries are 26.4 metres long, have a beam of 7.2 m and have a service speed of 23 knots (40km/h).
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the people of Parramatta and all those who travelled on the Parramatta River would finally have access to new, safe and reliable ferries that they always deserved.
“This is the first of a fleet of new ferries which will give passengers more reliable services, more comfortable seating, more accessibility and upgraded safety systems,” he said when the first ferry – christened Frances Bodkin – arrived in Sydney in March.
The vessel was delivered from Hobart, sailing the 630 nautical miles with stops at Flinders Island and the NSW Far South Coast port of Eden.
Incat Crowther CEO Brett Crowther said the company had worked closely with Transport for NSW, Transdev and RDM on the design.
“This has included one of our naval architects being stationed on site, providing assurance and construction oversight support throughout the process, and spearheading the use of augmented-reality technology, which allows stakeholders to engage with the digital model of the ship,” Mr Crowther said.
“We are thrilled with the results and are proud to see the first vessel in this innovative fleet of next-generation ferries in Sydney ready for service.”
A second vessel has begun sea trials and three more are already under construction, with the full fleet expected to enter passenger service over the next 18 months.
Transport for NSW project director Tony New said having the first two ferries plying their trade on the Parramatta River in such quick succession would be ”a big win for the community”.
