Community
25 December, 2024
Ferry tenders pending
EXPRESSIONS of interest for a new Daintree River ferry are expected to be called early in the new year.
A Douglas Shire Council spokesman said tender documents were being developed by the council’s marine lawyers and “they will be put out to the market in the coming weeks”.
He said there were six parties interested in the project when a consultant gauged the market earlier this year.
The tender is due to close in March of next year.
In the meantime, councillors have called for financial reports relating to the current beleaguered ferry to be provided at each monthly meeting, as well as progress on the tender process.
Deputy mayor Roy Zammataro said councillors needed to know how much the current ferry was costing every month.
He said it was estimated a new ferry would cost $5-6 million to build, something the council could not afford.
Cr Zammataro said he also wanted to know if the council would see the design of the new vessel before it committed to infrastructure on both sides of the river.
Chief executive officer Scott Osman said the proposal was for a four-lane ferry so the landside infrastructure would have to match that configuration.
He said more information about the tender process would be available for councillors in the new year.
Cr Abigail Noli asked if it was possible that the council would be “amenable” to a cheaper three-lane ferry.
Mr Osman said it was an option that “we can explore”.
Cr Zammataro said he wanted any updates to be revealed in public ordinary meetings “rather than behind closed doors”.
At a special council meeting on October 8, the council resolved to:
1. Replace the existing Daintree River ferry with a single vessel of increased capacity.
2. Outsource both ownership and operation of the new vessel to a contractor.
3. Release a tender to the market for a contractor to design, construct and deliver the new vessel, as well as operate the ferry service. The contracted operation will have an initial term of at least 15 years, structured as a fixed fee combined with a revenue sharing arrangement.
A council report said “the provision of comprehensive and specific monthly financial information to (the) council relating to the current and future proposed Daintree Ferry will provide clear and transparent financial information”.
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