| Transdev Sydney Ferries | |
| Predecessor: | Sydney Ferries |
| Founded: | 28 July 2012 |
| Location City: | Sydney |
| Location Country: | Australia |
| Area Served: | Port Jackson Parramatta River |
| Industry: | Ferries |
| Services: | Ferry operator |
| Parent: | Transdev Australasia |
| Homepage: | 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]
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], 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River-class ferries were commissioned in 2021.[12] 3 Emerald Class Ferries entered service in 2021 however were briefly withdrawn in 2022 due to multiple steering failures. Two of seven new Parramatta River-class ferries have been introduced with the rest expected to enter service in 2024/2025.[13]
See also: List of Sydney Harbour ferries.
| 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 | 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 IslandEastern 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 IslandEastern 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 | , 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 | , 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 | , 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 | , part of the 1787 First Fleet | |
| Dawn Fraser | RiverCat | 1992 | 230 | 22 kn | 36.8 m | 41 t | Parramatta River | Dawn Fraser, swimmer | |
| Marlene Mathews | RiverCat | 1993 | 230 | 22 kn | 36.8 m | 41 t | Parramatta River | Marlene Mathews, athlete | |
| Marjorie Jackson | RiverCat | 1993 | 230 | 22 kn | 36.8 m | 41 t | Parramatta River | Marjorie Jackson, athlete | |
| Shane Gould | RiverCat | 1993 | 230 | 22 kn | 36.8 m | 41 t | Parramatta River | Shane Gould, swimmer | |
| Catherine Hamlin [15] | 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 | |
| Clontarf | Emerald | 2021 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Manly | Sydney beach | |
| Ruby Langford Ginibi | 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 | 2024 | 200 | 24 m | Parramatta River | Frances Bodkin | ||||
| John Nutt | Parramatta River | 2024 | 200 | 24 m | Parramatta River | John Nutt[22] | |||
| Isobel Bennett | Parramatta River | 2024 | 200 | 24m | Parramatta River | Isobel Bennett |
