A passenger ferry acquired by the New South Wales government only two years prior for operation in the waters of Manly has been taken out of service after it suffered a catastrophic engine failure earlier this week.
The catamaran ferry Clontarf is presently at berth in Balmain Shipyard to undergo maintenance that could last for weeks following the failure of its port engine on the night (local time) of Monday, February 6.
On the said date, the ferry was underway in Sydney's inner harbour sailing at 20 knots as part of regularly conducted safety drills when the crew heard a loud noise, which was immediately followed by a strong vibration.
The port engine then failed, forcing the crew to rely solely on the starboard engine to bring the vessel to the yard.
The ferry only had four crewmembers and no passengers at the time. No injuries have been reported.
Transport provider Transdev, which operates Clontarf, said it has already contacted engine manufacturer Yanmar regarding the investigation into the mechanical failure as well as the replacement of the troubled engine.