https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/new-manly-ferry-suffers-another-steering-failure-on-sydney-harbour-20230320-p5ctjb.html
One of the new Manly ferries has suffered another steering failure on Sydney Harbour, forcing the operator to pull the troubled vessel from service amid ongoing concerns about defects plaguing the three catamarans purchased to replace larger Freshwater ferries.
The failure of the Fairlight’s steering occurred at about 7.30pm on Sunday evening while the ferry was sailing from Circular Quay to Manly, and resulted in it swerving to port, according to multiple sources. The ferry was carrying about 150 passengers.
Following the incident, the Chinese-built catamaran ferry was removed from regular passenger service and is now docked at the Balmain shipyard.
The Fairlight ferry has suffered another steering failure.
The Fairlight ferry has suffered another steering failure.Credit:Edwina Pickles
The latest incident takes the number of steering failures https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/high-number-of-steering-failures-involving-new-manly-ferries-revealed-20221202-p5c35r.html involving the Fairlight to nine since the government-owned vessel entered service in late 2021. It has sparked calls for transport authorities to remove all three of the second-generation Emerald-class ferries from service.
The Fairlight last suffered a steering failure https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/new-manly-ferry-suffers-another-steering-failure-near-sydney-heads-20221120-p5bzop.html while carrying passengers near the entrance to Sydney Harbour in November, less than two months after a similar incident https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/manly-ferries-removed-from-service-after-steering-failure-near-cruise-ship-20220926-p5bl6m.html forced ferry operator Transdev to urgently pull the catamaran and two sister vessels from service.
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The Fairlight ferry was pulled from service two weeks ago after suffering another steering failure.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/high-number-of-steering-failures-involving-new-manly-ferries-revealed-20221202-p5c35r.html
Public transport
https://www.smh.com.au/topic/sydney-public-transport-62q
High number of steering failures involving new Manly ferries
revealed
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/high-number-of-steering-failures-involving-new-manly-ferries-revealed-20221202-p5c35r.html
Labor transport spokeswoman Jo Haylen said the steering failures involving the Fairlight were a serious risk to passenger safety.
“It is only thanks to good luck that a passenger or crew member on one of these ferries has not been seriously injured, or worse,” she said. “What is it going to take before action is taken?”
The three new Manly ferries have been plagued with defects and steering failures since they entered service on the busy route in late 2021. The Fairlight’s sister vessel, the Clontarf, suffered an engine failure https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/new-manly-ferry-suffers-catastrophic-engine-failure-on-sydney-harbour-20230207-p5cikt.html during regular safety drills last month, requiring the engine to later be replaced.
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The problems have reinforced concerns the new ferries cannot handle conditions on the Manly-Circular Quay route nearly as well as the larger Freshwater vessels https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/end-of-an-era-last-sailing-set-for-manly-ferry-20211007-p58y0b.html they are meant to replace. The government plans to retire two of the four Freshwater ferries this year.
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The Clontarf is wet docked at the Balmain shipyards after suffering a catastrophic engine failure.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/new-manly-ferry-suffers-catastrophic-engine-failure-on-sydney-harbour-20230207-p5cikt.html
Public transport
https://www.smh.com.au/topic/sydney-public-transport-62q
‘There was an almighty noise’: New Manly ferry suffers
catastrophic engine failure
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/new-manly-ferry-suffers-catastrophic-engine-failure-on-sydney-harbour-20230207-p5cikt.html
Action for Public Transport spokesman Graeme Taylor said all three of the new Manly ferries should be pulled from service until the cause of the latest steering failure was known, and the problem fixed.
Transport for NSW has been approached for comment.
The Maritime Union of Australia, which represents deck-hands on ferries, said the transport agency needed to work urgently with Transdev to fix the problems plaguing the new Manly ferries.
“They created this mess – they need to now fix it,” the union’s deputy branch secretary Paul Garrett said. “It is another reason why ferries should be built in Australia and why the Freshwater ferries should be put back on the run.”
Transport Minister David Elliott, who is quitting politics after the state election on Saturday, has also been approached for comment