The first of seven new 200-passenger Parramatta
Class ferries is now in service in Sydney, New South Wales. The fleet of new
Incat Crowther designed ferries, which will service the busy Parramatta River
commuter route, are being constructed in Tasmania, Australia by Richardson Devine Marine. A second vessel has begun sea trials and three
more are already 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 utilizing augmented reality headset
technology to enable stakeholders to engage with the digital model of the ship
throughout the process.
While aesthetically
similar to the previous River Class vessels, the new Parramatta Class vessels
are fully air-conditioned with no upper deck seating and feature floor to
ceiling views, providing commuters with a smooth and enjoyable ride. The
vessels have a 200-person capacity, and will predominantly run on the busy
Parramatta to Circular Quay route. They have been readied for conversion to
electric propulsion when network infrastructure is ready and are expected to
have a 25-30 year working life.
“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,” said Incat Crowther CEO Brett Crowther. “We
design safe, efficient and future-focused passenger ferries that are tailored
to the needs of passengers, governments and their operators. This includes
thirty-eight vessels for New York City Ferry, twelve 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,” Crowther continued. “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.”
The seven new vessels in the Parramatta Class
ferry fleet have all been named in honor of Australians who have made
significant achievements in science, environment and innovation. The first
vessel, Frances Bodkin, is named after a D’harawal elder who has
dedicated her life to cataloguing plants native to western Sydney.