Sirius












Sirius
Type :
 Steel twin catamaran
Launched  :
1984
Builder :
 Carrington Slipways Pty Ltd
Newcastle, NSW
Gross weight :
 105 tons
Dimensions :
 25.38 (metres)
Passenger capacity :
 393
Speed :
 11 knots

Sirius was the second First Fleet vessel introduced. All nine vessels are basically identical (only difference is length of upper outer decks, some having longer decks, others being shorter). These vessels all operate the inner harbour routes including as far as Drummoyne.

This class of ferry was named after the First Fleet that began the settlement of Australia in 1788. There were eleven ships in the original fleet - the 'missing' vessels are Prince of Wales and Lady Penryhn.

In general, the First Fleet ferries have been remarkably reliable and tend to stay out of trouble. Not so the Sirius. On the 27th of March, 2007 at 1.08pm Sirius was approaching the wharf at Darling Harbour Aquarium. As is normal for a docking manoeurve, the engines and propellors were put in reverse. However, the controls failed to respond and the ferry kept on going forward at a rate of 5 knots even though the Master had performed an emergency shutdown on both engines. She collided with the wharf and another vessel, the Ocean Dreaming.  She then continued on and struck the underside of the Pyrmont Bridge. Sirius suffered bow & wheelhouse damage. The wharf, bridge and other boat only managed to collect some of Sirius' paint.
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