The NSW Government’s first of seven new Parramatta Class ferries, designed by Incat Crowther, is now in service in Sydney.
The fleet of new ferries, which will service the busy Parramatta River commuter route, is being constructed in Tasmania by Richardson Devine Marine. A second vessel has begun sea trials and three more are under construction, with the full fleet expected to enter passenger service over the next 18 months.
Incat Crowther worked closely with Transport for NSW and operator Transdev on the digital design of the new commuter ferries, including using augmented reality headset technology to enable stakeholders to engage with the digital model of the ship throughout the process.
The vessels have a 200-person capacity, and will predominantly run on the busy Parramatta to Circular Quay route. They have been future-proofed for conversion to electric propulsion when the network infrastructure is ready. The future-focused design means the new ferries are expected to have a 25-30 year working life. Current power is from a pair of Scania 405kW DI 13 070M high speed diesels, giving a service speed of 23 knots.
Incat Crowther CEO Brett Crowther said: “Incat Crowther is an expert in designing solutions for city networks and has a proven track record of partnering with governments to deliver tailored passenger ferries for mass transit systems across the globe. We design safe, efficient and future-focused passenger ferries that are tailored to the needs of passengers, governments and their operators. This includes 38 vessels for New York City Ferry, 12 for Italian operator Liberty Lines as well as bespoke passenger ferries for operators throughout Asia, North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Our digital ship has been the heart of this project for Transport for NSW and Transdev, allowing us to keep a multitude of stakeholders closely involved, and creating trust and confidence before construction commenced. We’re also pleased to be working closely again with Richardson Devine Marine. This has included one of our naval architects being stationed on site, providing assurance and construction oversight support throughout the process, and spearheading the use of augmented reality technology which allows stakeholders to engage with the digital model of the ship. We are thrilled with the results and are proud to see the first vessel in this innovative fleet of next generation ferries in Sydney ready for service.”
Image: The first Incat Crowther designed Parramatta class ferries is now in service in Sydney (source: Incat Crowther)
