Introduction

Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council (NPARC) is seeking quotations from qualified contractors to undertake repairs to the hull of the Jardine River Ferry, as required by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) Inspection Report completed in June 2024. A copy of the AMSA inspection report is provided in Attachment F for reference.

This request for quote (RFQ) is to specifically address the below items identified in the AMSA Inspection Report:

• Item 13: Hull (port void 4 forward) – doubler plates require cropping and replating (refer to Section 6.2 of the QSS Report No. 200911 Rev 00).

• Item 14: Hull (North bank end) – doubler plates require cropping and replating (refer to Section 6.1 of the QSS Report No. 200911 Rev 00).

The AMSA Inspection Report refers to QSS Report No. 200911 Rev 00 which is provided in Attachment G and provides further details of the condition assessment of the vessel hull and the works required to be completed.

Tenderers will be required to arrange for an AMSA accredited marine surveyor to undertake a preworks condition assessment of the hull as well as during and after the works as required to provide certification of the works.

The Jardine River Ferry is essential to community access and tenderers are required to consider this in their programming of works. As such, Council is requesting tenderers to allow for these works to be undertaken on site to minimise downtime of the vessel and for the works to be undertaken outside of the dry season. This RFQ document details the scope of works involved and provides tenderers with all available information to support in the delivery of this project. 

Scope of Work

The scope of work is summarised

• Prepare project plans including:

o Project Plan detailing the work methodology including, but not limited to, mobilisation activities, accommodation arrangements, loading and unloading procedures of the Jardine River Ferry onto the riverbank, maintenance and repair methodology, management of public safety, and programming of works.

o Safety management plan

o Environmental management plan

o Quality management plan

o Arrangement of all permits to carry out the works, including confined space entry permits

• Extraction of the vessel onto the riverbank and lifted onto a working platform a minimum 1.5m off the ground (refer Section 3.3 for details on how works have been carried out in the past).

• Condition assessment of the vessel after extraction from the water. The condition assessment shall be undertaken by an AMSA accredited marine surveyor and shall include:

o Inspection of defect Items 13 and 14 and the hull (externally) above and below the waterline to confirm the appropriateness of the maintenance works prescribed in the 2020 QSS condition assessment report and confirm no additional maintenance works are required to the hull before works proceed.

o Inspect both loading ramps, pins, brackets and attachments. All timber shall be removed and the surface cleaned to allow survey of the deck plate of each loading ramp.

o Inspect the weather deck plate. All timber shall be removed and the surface cleaned to allow survey of the deck plate of each loading ramp.

o Inspection of all compartments below the weather deck, ensuring that all compartments are ventilated, gas freeing and safe for entry. This shall include compliance with all statutory, mandatory, regulatory confined space entry rules and or standards.

o Inspection of safety equipment, fire fighting equipment, and miscellaneous equipment.

o Inspection of machinery and electrical equipment.

A condition assessment report shall be prepared and include a scope of works to rectify any defects identified. Council also requests that an indicative estimate on the remaining life of the Jardine River Ferry be provided as part of the condition assessment.

• Undertake maintenance works to address Items 13 and 14 of the AMSA Inspection Report:

o Hull (port void 4 forward) – Remove existing temporary doubler plates welded to the bottom shell plate and crop and replate to provide permanent repair. Details of the required repair works are provided in Section 6.2 of the QSS report provided in Attachment G and summarised below:

▪ The cut/crop out of the bottom shell plate shall not be less than 75mm beyond the forward bulkhead into tank port #3 and not less than 75mm beyond the inboard bulkhead into the southbank swim end tank #4.

▪ The radius that is to be formed in the tank centre #3 shall not be less than an R-75.

▪ A mouse hole shall be cut into the forward bulkhead & the longitudinal bulkhead where the new shell plate weld seams will pass through. The mouse holes must be of sufficient size to allow good and proper welding to pass beyond the bulkheads allowing for good penetration of the weld. At completion of welding the bottom shell plate, the mouse holes are to be plated over and welded watertight on both sides. 

▪ External weld seams shall be back gouged and dye penetrant tested for porosity, inclusions and cracks prior to the root run and top run being carried out.

▪ All welding shall be to AS1432-1993 and AS NZS 1665-2004 and shall be witnessed and verified and completed to the satisfaction of an accredited marine surveyor.

o Hull (North bank end) – Remove existing temporary doubler plates welded to the shell plate and crop and replate to provide permanent repair. Details of the required repair works are provided in Section 6.1 of the QSS report provided in Attachment G and summarised below:

▪ All horizontal and vertical cuts in the shell plate shall not be closer than 75mm to a bulkhead, frame or stringer.

▪ A mouse hole shall be cut into the stringers or bulkheads where the new shell plate weld seams will pass through. The mouse holes must be of sufficient size to allow good and proper welding to pass beyond the stringers, frames or bulkheads allowing for good penetration of the weld. At completion of welding the bottom shell plate, only the mouse holes that are cut into a watertight bulkhead are to be plated over and welded watertight on both sides.

▪ External weld seams shall be back gouged and dye penetrant tested for porosity, inclusions and cracks prior to the root run and top run being carried out.

▪ All welding shall be to AS1432-1993 and AS NZS 1665-2004 and shall be witnessed and verified and completed to the satisfaction of an accredited marine surveyor.

• Allowance for an AMSA accredited marine surveyor to:

o Inspect the works during the repairs

o Inspect the works upon completion (before the vessel is launched back into the river)

o Witness and verify all welds

o Certify the works

• Launch vessel b