Kangaroo Island community 'desperately cranky' as ferries delayed again

Kangaroo Island residents are growing increasingly frustrated as the long-awaited new ferry service faces yet another delay. The delay comes more than 12 months after the service was originally scheduled to begin, with SeaLink now projecting a start date of November, following an incident during final testing of the second vessel, Ruwi.

The vessel remains in Indonesia, where it was built. Kangaroo Island Mayor Michael Pengilly expressed his community's growing frustration, stating they have been misled for too long and are distressed by the latest development. SeaLink cited an incident during the harbour commissioning and final testing process that caused the delay, though the exact nature of the incident remains unspecified.

Transport Minister Joe Szakacs expressed anger over the latest update, emphasizing his concern for the situation. Kangaroo Island's mayor highlighted the community's disappointment and cynicism regarding SeaLink's communication and repeated delays. SeaLink's acting chief operating officer, Phil Boyle, confirmed that while the affected electrical components have been replaced, the delay of about three weeks has resulted.

Despite the delays, Kangaroo Island's essential ferry service remains crucial, even if the impact on day-to-day operations is minimal for some businesses. SeaLink has faced criticism for its communication throughout the project, with Mayor Pengilly and Transport Minister Szakacs expressing disappointment in SeaLink's handling of the situation.