# 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.

## 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.
In December 2016, Harbour City Ferries became fully owned by Transdev Australasia after Transdev bought out Broadspectrum's 50% shareholding. As of December 2016, Harbour City Ferries employs more than 650 people and its fleet consisted of 32 vessels. The government acquired six more ferries in 2017 that were added to the Harbour City Ferries fleet.
In July 2019, Harbour City Ferries commenced a new contract to operate the ferries until June 2028. To coincide with the contract, Harbour City Ferries was rebranded Transdev Sydney Ferries. Its website was updated prematurely in June 2019 to reflect the name change. Ten new River-class ferries were commissioned in 2021. 3 Emerald Class Ferries entered service in 2021 however were briefly withdrawn in 2022 due to multiple steering failures.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.

## 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

Sydney Ferries fleet :
| 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 |
| Marlene Mathews | RiverCat | 1993 | 230 | 22 kn | 36.8 m | 41 t | Parramatta River | Marlene Mathews, athlete |
| 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 | 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 |
| Victor Chang | Emerald | 2017 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Eastern Suburbs, Inner Harbour | Victor Chang, cardiac surgeon |
| Pemulwuy | Emerald | 2017 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Eastern Suburbs, Inner Harbour | Pemulwuy, Aboriginal political leader and elder |
| Bungaree | Emerald | 2017 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Eastern Suburbs, Inner Harbour | Bungaree, Aboriginal explorer and leader |
| May Gibbs | Emerald | 2017 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Eastern Suburbs, Inner Harbour | May Gibbs |
| Fairlight | Emerald | 2021 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Manly | Sydney beach |
| Balmoral | Emerald | 2021 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Manly | Sydney beach |
| Clontarf | Emerald | 2021 | 400 | 26 kn | 36.38 m | 40 t | Manly | Sydney beach |
| 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 |
| John Nutt | Parramatta River | 2024 | 200 | | 24 m | | Parramatta River | John Nutt |
| Isobel Bennett | Parramatta River | 2024 | 200 | | 24m | | Parramatta River | Isobel Bennett |
| Martin Green | Parramatta River | 2025 | 200 | | 24m | | Parramatta River | Martin Green (professor) |