Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp has called on the New South Wales government to provide the city with a new fleet of electric ferries, citing reliability issues with the current vessels. In a letter to Transport Minister John Graham, Crakanthorp stressed the need for a dependable net-zero ferry service.
Newcastle currently operates two ferries, the MV Shortland and the MV Hunter, both in service since 1986. The MV Hunter has been out of service for most of 2025 due to delays in critical repairs, causing the entire service to shut down for hours or days at a time when the remaining ferry also requires unplanned repairs.
The service closures have caused major delays for workers, school students, and other commuters who rely on the Stockton to Queens Wharf route. Crakanthorp noted that hundreds of Novocastrians depend on the ferry daily.
In September 2024, the NSW Government committed to electrifying Sydney Ferries. Crakanthorp urged the Minns Labor government to extend this commitment to Newcastle, highlighting the region's leadership in the transition to net-zero through investments in renewable energy zones and the Hunter Hydrogen Hub.
Transport Minister John Graham thanked Crakanthorp for his advocacy and requested a condition assessment of the two vessels by Transport NSW, including an evaluation of options for electrifying the Newcastle fleet. Graham acknowledged that Newcastle is a growing community with increasing transport needs.
