By
Rebecca Gibson |
The New South Wales Government in Australia is to order six new ferries that will be some of the fastest in the fleet and have a similar look to the very popular First Fleet vessels on Sydney Harbour.
The six newbuilds will be delivered as part of Sydney’s 20-year Ferry Future plan, which aims to modernise and expand the city’s ferry network.
“Labour slashed ferry services and failed to plan ahead and order new vessels, today we are getting on with the job of ensuring customers receive the world-class service they deserve on Sydney Harbour,” said Gladys Berejiklian, NSW Government’s Minister for Transport. “The new vessels will be some of the fastest on Sydney Harbour and will be a modern version look and feel of the very popular First Fleet vessels that are loved by our customers, visitors and tourists.”
Tenders for the vessels opened at the end of November and will close in February 2015. The detailed design and construction phases will begin next year, while the first vessel is scheduled to enter service in 2016.
Provisional designs and specifications were developed using feedback from customers and maritime experts. Each ferry will carry up to 400 passengers and offer a range of new features including large outdoor viewing areas, around 90 more seats than the current First Fleet vessel, two wide walk-around decks, wifi access and real-time travel information services.
The ferries will service all of Sydney’s inner harbour routes – from Watsons Bay in the east to Cockatoo Island in the west – and will use new wharves such as Barangaroo, which is expected to be completed in 2016. They will also replace some older vessels in the fleet.
The NSW Government is also exploring options for ferries to service the Parramatta River.