With the delivery of the final two vessels in the fleet, Norman Selfe and Jack Mundey, Transport for New South Wales’ Parramatta River Class ferry project is complete and returning immediate results in service in Sydney’s busy ferry network.
Designed by Incat Crowther and built by Richardson Devine Marine in Tasmania, the vessels are capable of transporting 200-passengers and will predominantly run on the busy commuter and tourist route between Parramatta in Sydney’s west and Circular Quay in the city’s central business district.
Transport for NSW Coordinator General Howard Collins said: “Passengers have embraced our next-generation ferries, and their performance has exceeded our expectations. Norman Selfe and its fleet mates use around 40 per cent less fuel than the previous RiverCats, enabling us to add 136 extra ferry services each week on the F3 Parramatta River route – a great outcome for everyone.”
The design, construction and delivery of the next-generation 7-strong fleet saw Incat Crowther deploy its end-to-end Project Assurance and Digital Shipbuilding services.
The Project Assurance process involved close collaboration with Transport for NSW, operator Transdev, shipyard Richardson Devine Marine and the unions representing ferry workers to enable a seamless engagement process that ensured the new fleet has entered service on time and with stakeholder support.
Brett Crowther, CEO of Incat Crowther said: “Transport for NSW had a vision from the outset of this project. Not only did they want a locally designed and manufactured vessel, but by incorporating the latest digital shipbuilding technology and project assurance processes, they ensured that deep collaboration with partners and stakeholders was central to the project’s success. This stakeholder trust, buy-in and collaboration offers a best practice example for other cities around the world looking to expand their commuter networks with truly bespoke passenger ferries.”
