Sydney Ferries Go Free as Industrial Action Hits Harbour Network

Sydney Ferries will operate free of charge for the entire month of September after the Maritime Union of Australia escalated industrial action against private operator Transdev Sydney Ferries.

Opal card readers across all 10 public ferry routes will be switched off from Friday, September 11 until midnight on Tuesday, October 6. Transport for NSW confirmed that regular fares will still apply technically, but the readers falling outside the notified industrial action means passengers can board without payment.

The dispute centres on a wage increase. The MUA is pushing for a 5 per cent annual wage rise plus inflation offset, while Transdev has offered 3.3 per cent per year. Maritime Union secretary Jessica Munn said the offer was "substandard" after 13 rounds of meetings.

"This is a decision that's been made because we can't get Transdev Sydney Ferries and their parent company, Transdev Australasia, to the table for a fair wage increase," Munn said.

The free-travel arrangement follows the NSW Government's announcement on September 3 of a new Walsh Bay ferry stop, which will connect the harbourside arts precinct directly with Western Sydney via the F3 Parramatta River route during commuter peaks and the F8 Cockatoo Island route during off-peak periods.

The Walsh Bay stop, commencing early next year, will serve nine leading arts organisations including the Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Dance Company, Bangarra Dance Company, and the Australia Chamber Orchestra. Transport for NSW will undertake approximately six months of works at Walsh Bay Wharf 2 to enable regular passenger services.

The new ferry connection complements the Barangaroo Metro station, located approximately 600 metres from the Sydney Theatre Company. Combined with the planned Rozelle Bay stop and the new Sydney Fish Markets service, the network expansion represents the most significant upgrade to Sydney's ferry infrastructure in a decade.

The seven-vessel Parramatta River Class fleet, representing a $49.6 million investment, completed its rollout in July with the delivery of the final two vessels, Norman Selfe and Jack Mundey. The new ferries consume around 40 per cent less fuel than the RiverCat vessels they replace, enabling an additional 136 weekly services on the F3 route.

Transport for NSW Coordinator General Howard Collins said the government was working closely with Transdev to reduce impacts on passengers. "We are working closely with Transdev to reduce impacts on passengers and provide updates as soon as information becomes available," he said.

The free-travel period is the second major announcement to emerge from Sydney Ferries this month, preceded by the Walsh Bay stop confirmation. A proposed electric ferry trial, modelled on the Parramatta River Class design, is scheduled for early 2028 and could eventually service the new Sydney Fish Markets route when it enters passenger service in 2029.