Sydney Harbour’s newest ferries have passed final testing to operate the F1 Circular Quay to Manly route in maximum swell conditions for which they have been built.
The Generation 2 Emerald Class ferries, all of which entered service by the end of last year, can now operate in swells up to 4.5 metres, which is the vessels’ full classification for Sydney Harbour.
Minister for Transport and Veterans David Elliott said this welcome news and the testing had ensured the safety of customers and crews was of the utmost priority.
“While this clearance took a bit longer than we would have liked, we wanted to make sure it was done right to ensure the safety of everyone involved,” Mr Elliott said.
“These new ferries are a huge upgrade – they are fully accessible and able to provide a faster, more frequent service, which is a massive win for regular commuters and tourists alike.”
Sydney Ferries operator Transdev Managing Director Loretta Lynch said the outcome was the result of many hours of structured trialling.
“It’s great news that these state-of-the-art ferries have been successfully trialled by our highly experienced crews, and are now operating in both day and night to the limit of the vessel survey,” Ms Lynch said. “We are proud to be improving the Manly services with the new Generation 2 Emerald class ferries.”
The vessels were designed by world renowned Australian naval architects, Incat Crowther, and have been specifically engineered with reinforced hulls to enable operation in the larger swells experienced when crossing the Sydney Heads.
Two Freshwater Ferries will continue to operate alongside the new Generation 2 Emerald Class ferries on weekends and public holidays.