News & Discussion: Ferry Services

[Wayno]

From the online Advertiser:

STUART INNES
February 12, 2008 09:30pm

seasa.JPG (22.64 KiB) Viewed 7675 times

TWO Sea SA ferries will be running on its Spencer Gulf service well before the company completes new terminals planned at Wallaroo and Lucky Bay.

A 64m, twin-hulled new ferry, the Sea Spirit, is nearing completion in a shipyard in Indonesia and is expected to be in service by Easter. It will join the existing Sea Scape on the service between Yorke Peninsula and Eyre Peninsula.

New passenger terminals at the two ports are still in planning stages. What operator Sea SA boasts as an "energy efficient" terminal at Lucky Bay has received design approval and is awaiting building approval.

That is anticipated within months. Sea SA hopes the building will be completed in 2009. It is proposed to have a transit lounge, cafe, disabled access, rest rooms and office space.

It will be followed by a new terminal at Wallaroo, which is still needing approvals.

The new Sea Spirit will be able to carry 93 vehicles and 300 seated passengers.

As reported by The Advertiser in December, it was to have replaced the 49m Sea Scape, which takes 52 vehicles and 200 passengers.

But Sea SA director Stephanie Dawson said strong demand meant both would be used on the service.

One will depart the Wallaroo port on Yorke Peninsula as the other leaves Lucky Bay on Eyre Peninsula. The new Sea Sprit has been designed and built for Spencer Gulf conditions and is nearing completion in Batam, Indonesia.

Ms Dawson anticipated the new vessel would be in South Australia in time to start services for Easter.

"We have been thrilled with the response to our service in our first year of operation," she said.

"More than 82,000 passengers and 35,000 vehicles have chosen the two-hour sea voyage over the lengthy road trip.

"We are confident that Sea SA's popularity will continue to rise, especially as the Lucky Bay road is now sealed. Based on first-year trends we believe there is demand for two ferries to operate."

The ferries will make the crossing a total of four times each way on weekdays, two times each way on Saturday mornings and again on Sunday afternoons.

Extra services will be scheduled to meet higher demand at holiday periods. The extra ferry will mean up to 10 extra jobs, depending on the seasonal demand.

I'm amazed at the expansion - it's only been running for 12months. I'm going to use the service for the first time on the Easter weekend. Check them out here...http://www.seasa.com.au/

[Cruise]

I would have rathered them buy an Australian built vessel.

[rhino]

I would have rathered them buy an Australian built vessel.

They're not buying a vessel, they're having one purpose-built to suit Spencer Gulf conditions. I'm sure that if it was more commercially viable to have it built locally, they would have. Obviously the cost of building in Indonesia, paying import duty, and transporting to Wallaroo was cheaper than building locally.

[a british colony]

The guys would have had their reason to built the vessel overaseas... "I would rather this " "I would rather that" please do your calculation before jumping to conclusion, that real are only aimed to discriminate, a situation typically percived from readers just like yourself. and stop be an extremist this is 2008.
the world is beautifull especially Florence

[rogue]

I'm going to use the service for the first time on the Easter weekend.

Me too. Only one way. Friday at 1030...

[drsmith]

Having witnessed an unloading/boarding at Wallaroo over the new year period, the onshore facilities are very primitive to say the least.

The sooner the new terminals are built the better.

[Pistol]

I went on the ferry a couple of weeks ago with my folks. We just went over to Lucky Bay and had lunch/looked around Cowell.

I cannot ring the praises of this service enough! It was fantastic. The facilities were outstanding - comfy chairs, a large TV screen if you get bored and a refreshment bar.

I have to say that if you were driving over to Lincoln, this is the way to do it. 1 1/2 hours to Wallaroo, a nice relaxing 2 hour ferry service and then a 1 1/2 hour drive to Lincoln.

Mind you like drsmith said the facilities at Wallaroo are atrocious (Lucky Bay has better facilities!) but there is plans for permanent terminal facilities at both ends of this service.

BTW, I saw on Ten news tonight that they have finally taken delivery of their new ferry which will be in service by the Easter weekend. It also said that construction has commenced on a new ferry that will be in service in roughly 12 months time. I don't know whether it will replace their first small ferry or there will be three ferries running this service. Good news either way.

[Ho Really]

Earlier this year...

SeaLink acquires Queensland’s Sunferries Group
31 March 2011

SA-based national tourism and transport operator, SeaLink Travel Group, has acquired Queensland-based Sunferries Group, lifting turnover to $80 million.

Sunferries operates passenger ferry services from Townsville to the tourist location of Magnetic Island and provides a service to the indigenous community of Palm Island.

The acquisition includes three catamaran passenger ferries, trademarks, licences, plant and equipment and a travel agency.

The acquisition will add about $12.5 million to SeaLink’s annual turnover, lifting it to about $80 million.

SeaLink Chairman, Giuliano Ursini, says the purchase is being funded through a combination of cash and equity, with Sunferries MD, Terry Dodd, joining the SeaLink Board of Directors
Giuliano says the 70 existing Sunferries’ staff will be retained.

Sunferries provides 19 return services per day to Magnetic Island, four services per week to Palm Island, as well as charter services. In total, it carries around 800,000 passengers a year.

SeaLink will now carry about 1.8 million ferry passengers per year in SA, Queensland and New Zealand.

It will also provide SeaLink with a fourth travel agency, adding to those in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Giuliano says there is tremendous tourism growth potential in the Townsville region and the acquisition will provide the strength required to take advantage of these opportunities.

“The purchase of Sunferries is a major step forward for SeaLink and an ideal strategic fit to SeaLink Travel Group’s growing tourism operations,” he said.

“Sunferries has established itself as a tourism leader in Townsville since its formation in 1997 and enjoys excellent relationships with inbound tour operators, wholesalers, the Government and tourism authorities.

“SeaLink has equally strong relationships across Australia and overseas that support its broad range of ferry, coach touring and charter, retail travel and holiday operations.

“This acquisition heralds the most exciting growth period in SeaLink’s 22-year history and helps set the future course for our company.

“Sunferries will provide us with additional strength in ferry operations while providing us with the opportunity to expand our tourism offering for international and Australian tourists.

“We are also particularly pleased that Mr Dodd will continue to be involved in the business, having established and grown it over the past 14 years.”

Terry Dodd says SeaLink’s extensive background in transport and ferry services and recognized strength in tourism offers “a perfect fit”.

“It provides the strength required to ensure the ongoing growth of our services and tourism in the Townsville area,” Terry says.

“SeaLink understands tourism and ferries and provides us with the best possible partner for the business into the future.

“They also share many of the philosophies we have in our business.”

Terry says ferry services in Townsville that had been affected by Cyclone Yasi have largely returned to normal.

Advantage Adelaide

and now...

SeaLink buys Captain Cook Cruises
25 August 2011

ADELAIDE-based tourism operator SeaLink Travel Group has bought the larger Sydney-based business Captain Cook Cruises.

Captain Cook Cruises has 15 vessels - 14 that cruise Sydney Harbour plus the paddlesteamer-style Murray River Princess in South Australia.

The buying price has not been disclosed but the company says taking over Captain Cook Cruises will add $30 million a year to SeaLink's total annual revenue, to take it to $110 million.

SeaLink, which is founded on running vehicle-and-passenger ferries between Cape Jervis in SA and Kangaroo Island, earlier this year added Sunferries in Queensland to its expanding business portfolio, which includes an operation in New Zealand.

By adding Captain Cook Cruises, it picks up 300 employees, now giving the SeaLink group 750 staff.

And Captain Cook's 750,000 passengers a year will take SeaLink's customer total to 2.4 million a year.

AdelaideNow

Great news from a local business.

Cheers

[metro]

Maybe they'll need a larger HQ in Adelaide

[crawf]

Would be nice if they lowered the prices for a ferry to KI...

[Ho Really]

Maybe they'll need a larger HQ in Adelaide

We can only hope that happens and that's if they expand into other areas of the tourism business (like accommodation, outback tours, etc., etc.). Anyway you look at it, it's great to see a local company expanding interstate, which doesn't happen very often.

Tourism Australia welcomes sale

The acquisition of Captain Cook Cruises by SeaLink Travel Group will deliver “new, enhanced tourism experiences” in Australia, the managing director of Tourism Australia has said.

Andrew McEvoy declared that the new owners will bring a “vibrancy and energy” that will replicate that of the Haworth family, the previous owners of Captain Cook.

“It is an investment that should be applauded because it closely aligns with our tourism industry’s own strategic approach within the 2020 Tourism Industry Potential – that of attracting investment that delivers for tourists a more appealing Australia,” McEvoy said.

SeaLink declined to reveal the purchase price although it is expected to add $30 million to its bottom line.

Travel Today

Cheers

[Ho Really]

Would be nice if they lowered the prices for a ferry to KI...

They need competition.

Cheers

[iTouch]

why not create a ferry link between Adelaide and the Yorke Peninsula?

[Reb-L]

Exactly; Adelaide - Yorke Pen - KI back and forth. This would be both a tourist attraction and great for us locals.

[Wayno]

From ABC Online:

A new ferry has been built to travel across Spencer Gulf between Wallaroo and Lucky Bay in South Australia.

Plans for a new service across the Gulf were announced two years ago.

Stephanie Dawson of Sea SA says she travelled to Indonesia for the official launch of the new ferry at its construction site a week ago.

"She is now in the water, thank goodness, but there is still a couple of months of fitting out to be done," she said.

"The main machinery is all in, the electricals are in and the painting's done."

Ms Dawson says a starting date for services is still unclear.

"They're telling us they should have her totally fitted out and ready to hand over within two months and I think I will have a better handle on that in say four weeks from now," she said.

The company is waiting on docking site leases to be signed off by the South Australian Government and for dredging work to be completed.

"We have a small dredge standing by at the sites but unfortunately we can't do anything until the leases are issued," she said.

A crew will fly from Fremantle to Indonesia and then pilot the ship back to Wallaroo.