
The United Kingdom-based ferry company SeaLink said that it would build the first new vessel at Richardson Devine Marine (RDM) in Goodwood, Hobart, adding that the service of the new vessel would expectedly start in December 2019. The service of the second new vessel is expected to launch in 2021.

SeaLink general manager Paul Victory said both single-deck vessels could have an extra storey added to cope with future demand.
"Both vessels will have growth potential, so both vessels will have ramp infrastructure … that we can add onto as the market grows on Bruny Island," he said.
Until the new ferries are launched, the company has decided to continue operating its 44-year-old ferry, the MV Moongalba.
Today, on October 23, SeaLink also announced it would immediately be adding a third ferry to the service — the MV Bowen — which had been supplanted by the Moongalba.
The new vessels will be constructed from aluminium and will see up to 10 new workers employed in the Hobart shipyard where the ferries will be built by RDM.
"It's not only [good] for us and our workers, it gives us great confidence moving forward, but it also gives our great umbrella of suppliers and contractors further turnover to keep the whole industry moving," chief executive Toby Richardson said.
He further informed that the vessel will provide 30 per cent less resistance owing to the use of lightweight aluminium in construction. The vessels will be powered by direct drive diesel, according to Mr. Richardson.
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