Full Breakdown
Auckland Transport Procures Diesel Ferries as Electrification Stalls, While EV Maritime Secures Perth’s First Electric Fleet
7/6/2026, 4:35:49 AM
Procurement and Context
Auckland Transport (AT) will receive five new diesel-powered ferries from 2028, and buying three 24-metre “Metro Class” diesel vessels. The contract, due this month, follows a pause in AT’s electrification plan: two hybrid-electric and two fully electric ferries are in service, and a terminal charger slated for December 2024 has been delayed to mid-2027, forcing the Devonport hybrid to run diesel. Mayor Wayne Brown and AT chief executive Stacey van der Putten note the lower upfront cost of diesel while reaffirming the “Mission Electric” goal.
Timeline
Contract award this month; 2028-2034: diesel ferry delivery; mid-2027: charger completion; 2024-2025: Echo Marine’s A$66 million Perth contract, with EV Maritime providing electrical systems integration for Western Australia’s first electric ferry fleet.
Financial and Operational Data
Mayor Brown puts diesel ferries at $8 million each; Kelsian values the five vessels at $38 million total ($7.6 million each) versus $20 million for electric/hybrid plus $27.6 million for chargers. Seven-year Western route contracts generate $101 million and include indexation against diesel-fuel price swings. Fullers testing shows electric operation can cut energy costs by 70-75 %.
Official Statements & Criticism
AT’s leadership calls the diesel purchase a stop-gap that keeps the “Mission Electric” goal alive while charging infrastructure is pending. Mayor Brown stresses the lower upfront price of diesel vessels. Kelsian highlights revenue-indexation that shields against fuel-price volatility. Fullers’ CEO says electric ferries have far lower operating costs but will only be bought when internally funded. Critics say AT’s diesel re-embrace reduces its role as an anchor for local electric-ferry makers and the charger delay erodes expected emissions gains.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Brown cites $8 million per diesel ferry, while Kelsian reports $7.6 million each. The sources give no detailed lifecycle cost comparison between diesel and electric options, nor a timetable for retrofitting diesel vessels with hybrid or electric modules.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This would support our Mission Electric plan to reduce emissions in our public transport fleet,” AT chief executive Stacey van der Putten said.” — Stacey van der Putten, AT CEO
- “Fullers360 testing shows this ferry can deliver energy costs around 70 to 75% lower than an equivalent diesel vessel when operating electrically.” — Mike Horne, Fullers CEO
- “EV Maritime not only brings extensive understanding of the challenges of designing and building a high-performance electric vessel – essential to de-risk and successfully execute this project,” — Anthony Livanos, Echo Marine Group project manager
- “We are not able to provide answers to those questions at this stage. It’s still very early days.” — AT spokesperson
Outlook
AT intends to equip the new diesel ferries with modular electric or hybrid retrofit kits, enabling conversion once charging infrastructure and funding are secured. EV Maritime’s Perth contract showcases Auckland’s engineering capacity in the expanding global electric-ferry market, with the Australian vessels slated for delivery under the contract timeline.
