When will the North Shore get electric ferries?

In 2024, then-transport Minister Jo Haylen announced the government was looking to phase out its diesel-powered watercrafts, replacing them with boats running on green energy. 

That same year, a new fleet of catamarans were rolled out onto the Parramatta River — running from Parramatta Wharf to Circular Quay — with the capacity to run on electricity. 

But the highest capacity service in Sydney’s harbour, the Freshwater Class, running between Manly and Circular Quay, is still set to run on diesel for at least five more years. 

What happened: In 2024, Haylen announced Transport for NSW had “begun market sounding to gather proposals” on electric replacements for these services.

However this week, Transport for NSW told the Lorikeet “the existing Freshwater Class vessels are planned to operate for the next 5 to 10 years and no decisions have been made on their update”.

According to disclosures from TransDev, who operate Sydney ferries, the total network emits approximately 40,000 tonnes of Co2 a year. That’s around 8,000 round trips from Sydney to London. 

Waiting game: While the government hasn’t pulled the trigger on electric services yet, the private sector isn’t waiting around. 

• Back in 2022, NRMA brought out two small, electric boats named Barangaroo and Wallaru onto Sydney Harbour for passenger services.

• Some businesses, like Water Roads, are planning to introduce hydro-foil electric services before 2030. 

Hovering: A hydrofoil watercraft is a boat with wing-like structures (foils) attached to the bottom lifting the hull up and above the water level. These boats hover above the water as they move. 

The plans come as many other Australian cities, such as Brisbane, Hobart and Perth move to introduce more electric services to their waterways.

So far the Water Roads project has been looking at vehicles like the Candela, and the Irish-designed Artemis EF-24. 

But CEO Sarah Taylor told the Lorikeet they have also been looking towards Vessev, a Kiwi company whose boats are now set to service the Derwent River in Tasmania and Perth’s Swan River.

Similar ferry services have been implemented in cities like Stockholm and Belfast.

Thumbnail: Artemis Technologies, Wikimedia user Anton Leddin