A great way to end the year.
If you live in WA and read the newspaper this morning, you may have noticed that Perth is getting a new ferry across the Swan River…and we are delighted to have been awarded the contract to build it.
A great way to end the year.
Here’s the official statement from the Government:
A regional Western Australian boatbuilding company has been selected to deliver the next generation Transperth ferry.
The $2.6 million project, awarded to Dongara Marine, will deliver the third ferry in the Transperth fleet, after the MV Shelley Taylor-Smith and the MV Phillip Pendal.
The ferry will be built at Dongara Marine's Port Denison facility and, during peak construction, will create three additional local jobs, including one apprentice.
The new ferry will have 148 seats and an on-board toilet, and will be marginally longer, sleeker and faster than the two existing ferries to help maintain the very busy ferry timetable.
The ferry is a crowd favourite - in Transperth's recent passenger survey, 99 per cent of passengers said they were satisfied with the service.
Though the new vessel will be designed to be suitable for journeys longer than the existing Elizabeth Quay to South Perth route, there are no current plans to expand the service.
After the new ferry is launched, all three ferries will be rotated through service. The MV Shelley Taylor-Smith - Transperth's oldest ferry - will be used predominantly as a reserve and to provide extra capacity on special occasions.
A third ferry will also give Transperth greater flexibility during regular maintenance periods.
Comments attributed to Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"I am pleased to announce this important piece of public transport infrastructure will be made right here in regional WA.
"The company employs 30 full-time staff and has a long history of manufacturing in Western Australia. It was established in 1975 by co-director John Fitzhardinge, who built his first boat at just nine years old.
"The company will also be adding an apprentice to its staff to help deliver the ferry, which is expected to be out on the Transperth system in 2019."
