A high-speed catamaran borrowed from Sydney has made its debut on the Newcastle harbour crossing, offering commuters a welcome respite from lengthy bus replacements. The vessel, owned by Captain Cook Cruises, was called into service on Thursday, January 8, 2026, to cover for the city's sole operational ferry, the MV Shortland, which was undergoing scheduled maintenance.
A Temporary Solution for a Persistent Problem
The twin-deck catamaran, which can carry around 190 passengers, arrived in Newcastle the previous Friday. It has been secured on a 'dry hire' basis through a partnership between Transport for NSW and the local operator, Keolis Downer. This arrangement means the vessel is operated by a Newcastle Transport crew when needed.
Nick Lester, General Manager of SeaLink, which operates Captain Cook Cruises, confirmed the backup ferry was delivered with a company crew. While there is no fixed term for the loan, the vessel may be recalled to Sydney if needed there. It is intended to support services over the summer until Newcastle's second ferry, the MV Hunter, returns from repairs. The Hunter has been out of action for nearly a year.
Commuters Welcome Speed, But Seek Long-Term Fix
Passengers on the first commuter run described the replacement service as comfortable, fast, and convenient. For Stockton resident and retired nurse Liz Nicolle, it was a significant improvement over bus replacements, which can turn a few-minute water journey into a trip exceeding an hour by road.
"It was disappointing the service had come to a state of relying on short-term fixes for what was proving to be a systemic problem," Nicolle said. "Where is the future management? We have to be proactive about this, not reactive."
Regular ferry user Graham Johnson noted the service was an arterial connection between the suburb and the CBD. "I wouldn't bother to go [into Newcastle] if the ferry wasn't here," he stated.
Operator Focuses on Service Continuity
A Keolis Downer spokeswoman stated that while the MV Shortland "continues to perform well," regular planned maintenance is undertaken as scheduled. The loaned ferry is not expected to operate simultaneously with the Shortland but will step in when the primary vessel is offline to maintain service continuity.
A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said the department was "pleased to see the successful integration of a standby ferry to cover planned maintenance, providing certainty and reliability for the community." The cost of leasing the ferry from Sydney has not been disclosed by either the operator or the transport department.
The interim vessel, built in Australia around 2016, offers a comparable capacity to the MV Shortland. Its deployment follows months of frustration for commuters due to repeated, unscheduled breakdowns that have left Stockton residents feeling cut off from the city.
