Sydney’s ferry fleet will become fully electric by 2035, the NSW Government has announced.
The current generation of diesel-powered boats will be phased out over the next decade, and replaced with “modern vessels powered by green energy alternatives”.
The State Government said it’s also working on developing charging infrastructure “to accommodate electric vessels.”
Manly ferry
Sydney Harbour’s popular Manly-Circular Quay route is serviced by ‘Freshwater Class’ ferries.
The State Government said it will spend $71 million to develop new “zero-emission” Freshwater Class ferries.
The current diesel-powered fleet will be retired after four decades of service.
Other vessels
Several other ferries which operate in Sydney Harbour are also set to retire by the end of the decade.
The NSW Government said work on designing sustainably-run replacement vessels will begin by the end of the year.
Planning for “charging infrastructure” and “modifications to shipyards to accommodate electric vessels,” will also commence this year.
River ferries
Today’s announcement comes after the NSW Government received its new fleet of ‘River Class’ ferries in March.
The vessels are expected to enter service by September 2025.
While these boats use 40% less diesel than their predecessors, the fleet is not yet equipped to run on zero-emissions technology.
However, the NSW Government claims the new River Class ferries have been “future-proofed” so they can be converted “to electric propulsion” in the future.
The ‘Save the Manly Ferry’ (SMF) Committee has flagged that any Freshwater Fleet replacement vessels needed to be built to handle large swells and crowds.
The NSW Government said the ferries would “replicate the existing Freshwater’s performance” and be designed to support “big summer crowds”.
SMF representative, Councillor Candy Bingham said: “The Manly Ferry has always been iconic to Sydney. This next-generation zero-emissions look-alike ferry will continue that history.“
Opposition
NSW Shadow Minister for Transport Natalie Ward told TDA, “Fast and sustainable ferries are an excellent option in the future”.
However, she warned, “the devil will be in the detail for how the Government intends to roll-out the required infrastructure to deliver the electric ferries.”
