Transdev Sydney Ferries

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]

Transdev Sydney Ferries

Industry	Ferries
Predecessor	Sydney Ferries
Founded	28 July 2012
Headquarters	Sydney , Australia
Area served	Port Jackson Parramatta River
Services	Ferry operator
Parent	Transdev Australasia
Website	www.beyondthewharf.com.au/

Logo of Harbour City Ferries until its rebranding in 2019

History

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] As of December 2016^[update], 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ferries were commissioned in 2021.^[12] 3 Emerald Class Ferries entered service in 2021 however were briefly withdrawn in 2022 due to multiple steering failures. Three of seven new Parramatta River-class ferries have been introduced with the rest expected to enter service in 2024/2025.^[13]

Ferry classes

• 
  Freshwater-class ferry since 1982 (Freshwater)
• 
  First Fleet-class, since 1984 (Scarborough)
• 
  RiverCat class since 1992 (Marlene Mathews)
• 
  Emerald-class ferry, since 2017.
  (Bungaree)
• 
  River-class, since 2021.
  (Ruth Park)
• 
  Parramatta River-class, since 2024.
  (Frances Bodkin)

Fleet

See also: List of Sydney Harbour ferries

Sydney Ferries fleet^[14]

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	First Fleet	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 Island Eastern 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 Island Eastern 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	Fishburn, 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	Golden Grove, 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	HMS Sirius, 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	HMS Supply, part of the 1787 First Fleet
Dawn Fraser	RiverCat	1992	230	22 kn	36.8 m	41 t	Parramatta River	Dawn Fraser, swimmer
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]	Emerald	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[21]
Clontarf	Emerald	2021	400	26 kn	36.38 m	40 t	Manly	Sydney beach[21]
Ruby Langford Ginibi	River	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	Parramatta River	2024	200		24 m		Parramatta River	Frances Bodkin[13]
John Nutt	Parramatta River	2024	200		24 m		Parramatta River	John Nutt[22]
Isobel Bennett	Parramatta River	2024	200		24m		Parramatta River	Isobel Bennett
Martin Green	Parramatta River	2025	200		24m		Parramatta River	Martin Green (professor)