Transdev Sydney Ferries
|  | |
| Industry | Ferries | 
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Sydney Ferries | 
| Founded | 28 July 2012 | 
| Headquarters | , Australia | 
| Area served | Port Jackson Parramatta River | 
| Services | Ferry operator | 
| Parent | Transdev Australasia | 
| Website | www.beyondthewharf.com.au/ | 

Transdev Sydney Ferries, formerly Harbour City Ferries, is a subsidiary of Transdev Australasia, and is the operator of ferry services in the Sydney Ferries network since July 2012. It currently operates the ferry network under a contract until June 2028. As part of the operation contract, Transdev Sydney Ferries leases both the Balmain Maintenance Facility and the fleet from the government agency Sydney Ferries.[1]
History
In 2011, the NSW government decided to contract out ferry services to the private sector. Harbour City Ferries was formed as a 50/50 joint venture between Transfield Services (later Broadspectrum) and Veolia Transdev (later Transdev). In May 2012, Harbour City Ferries was announced as the successful tenderer to operate the services on a seven-year contract starting 28 July 2012.[2][3][4][5][6]
In December 2016, Harbour City Ferries became fully owned by Transdev Australasia after Transdev bought out Broadspectrum's 50% shareholding.[7] As of December 2016, Harbour City Ferries employs more than 650 people and its fleet consisted of 32 vessels.[7] The government acquired six more ferries in 2017 that were added to the Harbour City Ferries fleet.[8]
In July 2019, Harbour City Ferries commenced a new contract to operate the ferries until June 2028.[9] To coincide with the contract, Harbour City Ferries was rebranded Transdev Sydney Ferries.[10] Its website was updated prematurely in June 2019 to reflect the name change.[11] Ten new River-class ferries were commissioned in 2021.[12] 3 Emerald Class Ferries entered service in 2021 however were briefly withdrawn in 2022 due to multiple steering failures. Six of seven new Parramatta River-class ferries have been introduced with the rest expected to enter service in 2025.[13]
Ferry classes
- 
			 Freshwater-class ferry since 1982 (Freshwater) Freshwater-class ferry since 1982 (Freshwater)
- 
			 First Fleet-class, since 1984 (Scarborough) First Fleet-class, since 1984 (Scarborough)
- 
			 RiverCat class ferry, since 1992 (Shane Gould) RiverCat class ferry, since 1992 (Shane Gould)
- 
			.jpg) Emerald-class ferry, since 2017. Emerald-class ferry, since 2017.
 (Bungaree)
- 
			.jpg) River-class, since 2021. River-class, since 2021.
 (Ruth Park)
- 
			 Parramatta River-class, since 2024. Parramatta River-class, since 2024.
 (Frances Bodkin)
Fleet
| Vessel | Class | Service | Capacity | Speed | Length | Displacement | Routes | Origin of name | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater | Freshwater | 1982 | 1100 | 15 kn | 70.4 m | 1150 t | Manly | Freshwater Beach | 
| Queenscliff | Freshwater | 1983 | 1150 | 15 kn | 70.4 m | 1140 t | Manly | Queenscliff Beach | 
| Alexander | First Fleet | 1985 | 393 | 12 kn | 25.38 m | 105 t | Inner Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Cockatoo Island Eastern Suburbs | Alexander, part of the 1787 First Fleet | 
| Borrowdale | First Fleet | 1985 | 393 | 12 kn | 25.38 m | 105 t | Inner Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Cockatoo Island Eastern Suburbs | Borrowdale, part of the 1787 First Fleet | 
| Charlotte | First Fleet | 1985 | 393 | 12 kn | 25.38 m | 105 t | Inner Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Cockatoo Island Eastern Suburbs | Charlotte, part of the 1787 First Fleet | 
| Fishburn | First Fleet | 1985 | 403 | 12 kn | 25.38 m | 105 t | Inner Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Cockatoo Island Eastern Suburbs | Fishburn, part of the 1787 First Fleet | 
| Friendship | First Fleet | 1986 | 403 | 12 kn | 25.38 m | 105 t | Inner Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Cockatoo Island Eastern Suburbs | Friendship, part of the 1787 First Fleet | 
| Golden Grove | First Fleet | 1986 | 403 | 12 kn | 25.38 m | 105 t | Inner Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Cockatoo Island Eastern Suburbs | Golden Grove, part of the 1787 First Fleet | 
| Scarborough | First Fleet | 1986 | 403 | 12 kn | 25.38 m | 105 t | Inner Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Cockatoo Island Eastern Suburbs | Scarborough, part of the 1787 First Fleet | 
| Sirius | First Fleet | 1984 | 393 | 12 kn | 25.38 m | 105 t | Inner Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Cockatoo Island Eastern Suburbs | HMS Sirius, flagship of the 1787 First Fleet | 
| Supply | First Fleet | 1984 | 393 | 12 kn | 25.38 m | 105 t | Inner Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Cockatoo Island Eastern Suburbs | HMS Supply, part of the 1787 First Fleet | 
| Dawn Fraser | RiverCat | 1992 | 230 | 22 kn | 36.8 m | 41 t | Parramatta River | Dawn Fraser, swimmer | 
| Shane Gould | RiverCat | 1993 | 230 | 22 kn | 36.8 m | 41 t | Parramatta River | Shane Gould, swimmer | 
| Catherine Hamlin[15] | Emerald | 2017 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Eastern Suburbs, Inner Harbour | Catherine Hamlin, obstetrician and gynaecologist | 
| Fred Hollows | Emerald | 2017 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Eastern Suburbs, Inner Harbour | Fred Hollows, ophthalmologist[16] | 
| Victor Chang | Emerald | 2017 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Eastern Suburbs, Inner Harbour | Victor Chang, cardiac surgeon[17] | 
| Pemulwuy | Emerald | 2017 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Eastern Suburbs, Inner Harbour | Pemulwuy, Aboriginal political leader and elder[18] | 
| Bungaree | Emerald | 2017 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Eastern Suburbs, Inner Harbour | Bungaree, Aboriginal explorer and leader | 
| May Gibbs[19] | Emerald | 2017 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Eastern Suburbs, Inner Harbour | May Gibbs[20] | 
| Fairlight | Emerald | 2021 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Manly | Sydney beach[21] | 
| Balmoral | Emerald | 2021 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Manly | Sydney beach[21] | 
| Clontarf | Emerald | 2021 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Manly | Sydney beach[21] | 
| Ruby Langford Ginibi | River | 2021 | 200 | 25 m | Inner Harbour, Parramatta River | Ruby Langford Ginibi | ||
| Esme Timbery | River | 2021 | 200 | 25 m | Inner Harbour, Parramatta River | Esme Timbery | ||
| Margaret Olley | River | 2021 | 200 | 25 m | Inner Harbour, Parramatta River | Margaret Olley | ||
| Olive Cotton | River | 2021 | 200 | 25 m | Inner Harbour, Parramatta River | Olive Cotton | ||
| Ruth Park | River | 2021 | 200 | 25 m | Inner Harbour, Parramatta River | Ruth Park | ||
| Ethel Turner | River | 2021 | 200 | 25 m | Inner Harbour, Parramatta River | Ethel Turner | ||
| Cheryl Salisbury | River | 2021 | 200 | 25 m | Inner Harbour, Parramatta River | Cheryl Salisbury | ||
| Liz Ellis | River | 2021 | 200 | 25 m | Inner Harbour, Parramatta River | Liz Ellis | ||
| Lauren Jackson | River | 2021 | 200 | 25 m | Inner Harbour, Parramatta River | Lauren Jackson | ||
| Kurt Fearnley | River | 2021 | 200 | 25 m | Inner Harbour, Parramatta River | Kurt Fearnley | ||
| Frances Bodkin | Parramatta River | 2024 | 200 | 24 m | Parramatta River | Frances Bodkin[13] | ||
| John Nutt | Parramatta River | 2024 | 200 | 24 m | Parramatta River | John Nutt[22] | ||
| Isobel Bennett | Parramatta River | 2024 | 200 | 24m | Parramatta River | Isobel Bennett | ||
| Martin Green | Parramatta River | 2025 | 200 | 24m | Parramatta River | Martin Green (professor) | ||
| Ruby Payne Scott | Parramatta River | 2025 | 200 | 24m | Parramatta River | Ruby Payne-Scott | 
References
- ^ Annual Report 30 June 2012 Archived 13 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Ferries
- ^ "Transfield JV wins Sydney Ferries contract". news.com.au. 3 May 2012. Archived from the original on 7 May 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ Harbour City Ferries Archived 5 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine Transport for NSW
- ^ "Harbour City Ferries". Harbour City Ferries. 2013. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
- ^ Private Operator to take control of ferry services Archived 4 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Morning Herald 3 May 2012
- ^ Steady as he goes: ferries sail into private hands Archived 31 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Morning Herald 28 July 2012
- ^ a b TRANSDEV AUSTRALASIA ACQUIRES 100% OF HARBOUR CITY FERRIES Archived 23 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Transdev Australasia, Published 8 December 2016, Retrieved 19 January 2018
- ^ Sydney Ferries FleetArchived 2018-01-19 at the Wayback Machine Transport for NSW 18 December 2017
- ^ More ferry services for Sydney after government awards $1.3b contract Archived 10 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Morning Herald 27 February 2019
- ^ "Transdev secures €815 million Sydney Ferries renewal contract until 2028". Transdev. 7 March 2019. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- ^ "Home Page". Transdev Sydney Ferries. Archived from the original on 19 June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ Anger as Syd ferries to be built overseas Archived 27 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine Canberra Times 23 October 2019
- ^ a b Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads (5 March 2024). "New Parramatta River Class Ferry starts sea trials on the Derwent". NSW Government. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
- ^ Sydney Ferries Fleet Facts Archived 12 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Transport for NSW 15 April 2014
- ^ "Catherine Hamlin in Hobart – 35m Passenger Catamaran". Incat. Archived from the original on 2 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
- ^ Incat ferries bound for Denmark & Sydney Harbour The Mercury 21 April 2017
- ^ Victor Chang Archived 13 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine Marine Traffic
- ^ NSW, Transport for (30 August 2017). "Pemulwuy arrives in Sydney Harbour". www.transport.nsw.gov.au. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
- ^ Raper, Asleigh (31 January 2018). "Ferry McFerryface gets renamed to May Gibbs". ABC News. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ Ferry McFerryface wasn't public pick for new ferry name until Andrew Constance's captain's pick Archived 26 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine Daily Telegraph 30 January 2018
- ^ a b c NSW, Transport for (3 February 2021). "New ferries to be named after popular harbour beaches". www.transport.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ Investment, NSW Trade and (22 May 2014). "Top gong for engineer who oversaw construction of Sydney icon, revolutionised industry". Chief Scientist. Retrieved 18 July 2024.




