One of the seven RiverCat ferries,which are about three decades old.

One of the seven RiverCat ferries,which are about three decades old.Credit:Nick Moir

The decision comes amid a state election campaign in which the two major parties have been spruiking plans to boost local manufacturing.

The replacement of the three-decades-old fleet of RiverCats,at a cost of more than $43 million,has already been repeatedly delayed.

The state government initiallyshelved the purchase of new ferries for the Parramatta River route in 2019 after failing to receive suitable offers from shipbuilders. After the plans were later revived,the purchase was delayed last year because of alack of an investment decision by the government,which internal documents show was needed to “avoid disruptions to services”.

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Bidders for seven new ferries were eventually sought in late November,giving companies until mid-January to submit tenders. The government encouraged bids from local shipbuilders.

However,electric ferry builder EV Maritime said a period of just six weeks over the Christmas holidays had made it difficult for serious bidders to participate.

EV Maritime chief executive Michael Eaglen said the process was made harder by the scope excluding electric ferries,which ruled his company out.

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“If the government redesigns the tender,the scope really should include electric ferries. The government has stated that is where the future lies,” he said.

Labor transport spokeswoman Jo Haylen said passengers would be waiting longer for new ferries on the Parramatta River because the government was not serious about the contract.

String of ferry setbacks:The Clontarf was out of services for more than two weeks after suffering a catastrophic engine failure.

String of ferry setbacks:The Clontarf was out of services for more than two weeks after suffering a catastrophic engine failure.Credit:James Brickwood

“[Transport Minister] David Elliott said that this contract was evidence that domestic manufacturing was back on the Liberal Party’s agenda. The fact that it has now been delayed shows that the Liberals haven’t changed,” she said.

Elliott said local manufacturing and content was at the forefront of the state’s record $76.7 billion investment in transport infrastructure over the next four years,and nothing had changed.

“The tender process for the River-class ferries is being independently managed by Transport for NSW,with the direction from the NSW government that the ferries are to be redesigned and built here in Australia,” he said.

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Transport for NSW said the market response to the tender for the seven new ferries “did not meet our expectations or all of the tender evaluation criteria”. It declined to reveal the number of bids received.

“The procurement strategy has been reviewed and Transport is re-engaging with the market,” it said. “The final delivery and service dates will be finalised once the tender has been awarded.”

The project to replace the RiverCats,which can carry up to 230 passengers each,is part of internal government plans for a “right sizing” of the Sydney ferry fleet to “avoid unnecessary costs”. Transport for NSW has estimated in internal documents that there are “at least nine surplus vessels”.

The latest setback for the RiverCat replacement project comes as one of three new Manly ferries,which have beenplagued with defects since they arrived in 2021,returned to service on Thursday after an engine was replaced.

The Clontarf had acatastrophic engine failure more than two weeks ago during regular safety drills. Transport for NSW said it was awaiting the results of an investigation into the root cause of the Clontarf’s engine failure.

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