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Cruel removal by workers from their own ferries as they call for the ‘unsafe’ ships to sink to the bottom of the ocean and become ‘diving wrecks’
- Maritime workers call for the sinking of Sydney’s emerald-class ferry fleet
- Believe they should be turned into ‘diving wrecks’ due to safety issues
- Formal investigation launched into fleet of three second generation Sydney ferries
- They are used for Manly-city service, two steering problems developed in two days
- Office of Transport Safety Investigations said it had received 19 safety reports
- These have taken place since the China-built ferries launched in 2019
- A fleet evaluation is also being carried out by Transport for NSW
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Maritime workers have called for the Emerald-class fleet of Sydney ferries to be turned into ‘diving wrecks’ after a security investigation into the beleaguered boats found more than a dozen safety issues.
A formal inquiry has been launched into the fleet of three second-generation Sydney ferries, used on the Manly-city service, after two steering problems arose in as many days last month.
The Office of Transport Safety Investigations said it had received 19 safety reports since the China-built ferries launched in 2019, including 10 directly related to steering errors.
Maritime workers have called for the Emerald-class fleet of Sydney ferries (pictured) to be turned into ‘diving wrecks’ after a safety investigation into the beleaguered boats found more than a dozen safety issues
The three ferries were docked in Balmain on Wednesday as the office continued the investigation.
It looks at Sydney Ferries defect management systems and how effectively risk is managed across the fleet.
The independent safety agency said on Wednesday it could not comment on the investigation, other than what was said in an interim report.
The three ferries have been plagued with operational issues since launch in 2019, including cracked hulls, shattered windows and damaged rudders.
Some 80 defects have been found on the Emerald-class ferries, which are now undergoing critical safety repairs, Maritime Union of Australia spokesman Paul Garrett said on Wednesday.
Maritime Union of Australia spokesman Paul Garrett (pictured) said: ‘These boats are better served as dive wrecks’
“These boats are better off serving as dive wrecks,” said Mr. Garrett, adding that if they were in use they should sail safely.
The ferries were a maintenance and warranty repairer’s dream, requiring constant repair as new problems with the fleet emerged, he said.
NSW Labor leader Chris Minns said he understood the annoyance of maritime union members who worked on the ferries every day.
NSW Labor leader Chris Minns (pictured) said he understood the annoyance of maritime union members
“You can understand why that frustration boils over,” Minns told reporters.
Numerous problems arising from overseas ferries made the city’s port transportation a laughing stock, he said.
“We’ve become a joke here when we really should have world-class transportation and infrastructure for this world-class city.
“The only people who don’t understand that we need Australian-made infrastructure are (Premier) Dominic Perrottet and (Treasurer) Matt Kean.”
An assessment of the Emerald-class fleet (pictured) is also being conducted by Transport for NSW
But Perrottet hit back at the claims, telling parliament that NSW was responsible for more production than any other state in Australia.
Up to 30 percent of the country’s production came from NSW, including a ferry fleet from Port Macquarie made largely with parts from the same state, he said Wednesday.
Earlier this week, the treasurer opposed calls from the opposition to commit to building future ferry fleets in NSW.
“We want to make sure that taxpayers’ money is spent wisely and that we get the best bang for our buck,” Kean said Monday.
Transport for NSW is also conducting an evaluation of the Emerald-class fleet.