Founded | 1989 |
---|---|
Area served | Backstairs Passage |
Revenue | $54.1 million (June 2015) |
Parent | Kelsian Group |
Website | www.sealink.com.au |
Kangaroo Island SeaLink is a South Australian ferry company and tour operator owned by Kelsian Group, which has plied the crossing from mainland South Australia to Kangaroo Island since 1989. From 1989 to 1994, Kangaroo Island Sealink was owned by the Malaysian company MBF. In 1994 the company was sold to a consortium of staff members and Kangaroo Island residents. SeaLink's two currently operating ferries, Sealion 2000 and Spirit of Kangaroo Island , cross Backstairs Passage from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw in about 45 minutes, up to 10 times daily.
SeaLink had acquired the previous ferry service founded by Peter March. Its first vessel was Philanderer 3, the first of March's vessels to carry vehicles. In later years, the company operated the Island Navigator (purchased 1990), also a car carrying ferry, as the designated freight and fuel carrier.
SeaLink has outlasted several competing companies since it began operations. Boat Torque, a Western Australian company, operated Superflyte from 1994 until 1997, whilst Kangaroo Island Ferries had a short-lived venture with SeaWay, from September 2004 until February 2005. Under different ownership, SeaWay recommenced services in August 2007, before its operations were suspended in May 2008 and an administrator appointed shortly thereafter. [1]
SeaLink holds a virtual monopoly on oversea transport, primarily due to its long term lease of the Cape Jervis berth. In 2021 Sealink announced they had been awarded a contract for the operation of the Kangaroo Island ferry service for the next 25 years, starting at the expiration of their former contract in 2024. [2] Kangaroo Island residents have expressed displeasure with the exclusive arrangement granted to SeaLink. [3]
SeaLink had state government subsidies with respect to its freight charges, which ended in 2003.
As part of the new contract in 2021, Sealink has announced the release of two new vessels to replace the aging Sealion 2000 and Spirit of Kangaroo Island [4] These two new vessels will be identical in construction. The design has been contracted to Sea Transport Solutions. They will be roll-on roll-off vessels, equipped with ramps fore and aft. They will be 60 metres in length, an advance of 10 metres on the current vessels, and have a beam of 20 metres. [5]
Kangaroo Island, also known as Karta Pintingga, is Australia's third-largest island, after Tasmania and Melville Island. It lies in the state of South Australia, 112 km (70 mi) southwest of Adelaide. Its closest point to the mainland is Snapper Point in Backstairs Passage, which is 13.5 km (8.4 mi) from the Fleurieu Peninsula.
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Cape Jervis is a town in the Australian state of South Australia located near the western tip of Fleurieu Peninsula on the southern end of the Main South Road approximately 88 kilometres (55 mi) south of the state capital of Adelaide.
HMAS Jervis Bay was a roll-on/roll-off passenger and vehicle ferry operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) between 1977 and 1994.
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MS Al Andalus Express is a freight ferry owned by Eurotunnel and operated by Naviera Armas. She was built in 1987 by Chantiers du Nord et de la Mediterranee, Dunkirk for Societe Nationale des Chemin de Fer Francais (SNCF) as a multi-purpose passenger and roll-on roll-off ferry for lorries and railway vehicles. After the introduction of Eurotunnel there was no need for a train ferry, so SNCF was losing money running her. She was acquired by SNAT and Stena Sealink in 1989, which operated the Nord Pas-de-Calais until 31 December 1995. From 1 January 1996 SNAT operated as SeaFrance. The vessel was renamed SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais. SeaFrance operated until November 2011, and was liquidated on 9 January 2012. Eurotunnel won the bid for the three of the former SeaFrance vessels the original name of the vessel was restored, dropping the SeaFrance prefix. MyFerryLink started running on 20 August 2012, although Nord Pas-de-Calais joined in November 2012 following a refit. Following MyFerryLink's cessation of operations, mostly cited due to financial issues, the ferry was used directly by Eurotunnel to carry hazmat cargoes that are not allowed on regular train services.
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Spirit of Kangaroo Island is a vehicular ferry operated by Kangaroo Island SeaLink on the 18 kilometre Cape Jervis to Penneshaw route across Backstairs Passage along with the Sealion 2000. These two ferries provide the main form of transport to Kangaroo Island operating up to 10 trips daily.
Sealion 2000 is a vehicular ferry operated by Kangaroo Island SeaLink on the 18 kilometre Cape Jervis to Penneshaw route across Backstairs Passage along with the Spirit of Kangaroo Island. These two ferries provide the main form of transport to Kangaroo Island operating up to 10 trips daily. This vessel is specifically made for passengers and cars and is a larger boat. Unlike the Spirit of Kangaroo Island which is a freight boat, used for transporting trucks as well as passengers.
Kelsian Group Limited, formerly SeaLink Travel Group, is an Australian public company that operates transport services in Australia, the Channel Islands nations of Guernsey and Jersey and Singapore.
Captain Cook Cruises is an Australian cruise operator. As of January 2018, the company operated 21 vessels on Sydney Harbour, providing a range of Government contracted and non-contracted Ferry services, Sightseeing, Dining and Charter Cruises.
Cape Jervis is a headland located at the most westerly part of the Fleurieu Peninsula on the east coast of Gulf St Vincent in South Australia about 0.7 kilometres west of the town of the same name, Cape Jervis. It is the eastern end of the opening to Gulf St Vincent.