Australian and Scottish Ferries

[vic mcclymont]

The new Scottish ferries disaster is well documented and needs no further comment.
It seems that the Australian Government has more less followed the Scotland route with the same consequences.
Two new ferries that are to be built in Finland for TT line and Australian Government depart are delayed and over budget.
The two new Ferries are dual fuel (Similar to Scotland's) LNG and diesel. The original costs were 3$7.5 (again similar to Scotland) estimated completion costs £430m (again similar to Scotland).
One Ferry has been nearly completed and is in the process of moving to Leith for a lay up, because of the freezing weather and the possibility of ice forming in the shipyard berth which could damage her hull.
It was suggested that he could hired by Calmac for use on their west coast services, but apparently she is complete as her finishing touches were to be done in Australia.
Both ferries suffer from the incompetence of Governments the infra structure to service the new Calmac ferries has not ben completed.
In Australia the infra structure for the 650 feet long ferries will not be completed until 2026 or 2027.
The ferry arriving in Leith for lay up is the TASMANIA IV.
Vic

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Vic
Shows how shipbuilding has gone backwards, the Steam Ferry I worked on in Sydney was built in Lieth in 1932 and is still in working condition. She could carry 1,800 passengers, had two wheelhouses fore and aft, same with the Propellers, went into Manly one way and then the crew transferred to the other wheelhouse and she sailed back to Circular Quay, she is the same age as me so makes her nearly 93 years old.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

The new berth for them is now known to be too small.
Talk of buying second hand ones.

[Ivan Cloherty]

The new berth for them is now known to be too small.
Talk of buying second hand ones.

Take a lesson from WWII use 'Mulberrys' they didn't take long to build.

[Doug Hardie]

I think Governments and their Civil service lackeys should stay out of managing infrastructure projects and leave it to professional Managers and Contractors . The design should be frozen before letting the contract and the scope fully defined then lett on a lump sum basis.There would a much better chance of staying on Budget and less scope for back handlers associated with changes to the design and scope and subsequent cost overruns being agreed by shady civil servants and Politicians .
Doug

[John Arton]

I see that the new Finnish built very for Tasmania, presently laid up in Leith, is on its way down under due to a dispute over the leasing arrangement for its berth.
Rgds
J.A

[happy daze john in oz]

According to reports it will be a problem as the new berths built of it are not long enough!!!!