Transperth currently operates a passenger ferry service between Mend St Jetty and Elizabeth Quay Jetty. To service this requirement, Transperth currently has two low-wash 22 metre ferries to provide the ferry service, the MV Phillip Pendal constructed in 2009 (8 years old) and the MV Shelley Taylor-Smith constructed in 1997 (20 years old). The MV Shelley Taylor-Smith is approaching the end of its currently listed useful life of 20 years and a new ferry is to be purchased to supplement the existing ferry.

The new ferry will enable the semi-retirement of the MV Shelly Taylor-Smith to become the spare back-up vessel, to satisfy the extra maintenance demands of operating the high frequency timetable and to enable the third ferry to be brought into operation at short notice to cater for high demand periods when the two ferries cannot clear loads.

Transperth, a branch of the Public Transport Authority (PTA) is seeking tender submissions from suitably experienced and qualified organisations for the design and construction of a new passenger ferry.

The preferred delivery date of the passenger ferry is no later than 27 March 2019.