Rising fuel prices make ferry more attractive for heavy machinery & transport

Rising fuel costs have seen an upsurge in heavy vehicle traffic on Sea SA’s cross Spencer Gulf ferry service, as agricultural and transport operators realise the potential to save on overall trip costs by choosing the sea route.

As petrol prices soar to more than $1.85 per litre, the Wallaroo and Lucky Bay ferry services, which have road train, B-Double truck and farm machinery capacity, are proving a more cost-effective option in many cases compared with the 350 kilometre round-Gulf road trip, Sea SA Managing Director, Stephanie Dawson, said.

 “Our June quarter figures show that we have doubled our truck traffic compared with the same period last year,” Stephanie revealed.  “ This is because we have maintained our ferry fares despite the fuel price increases, in a move to secure larger volumes, and we are now also offering big incentives for frequent transport industry travellers .”

Megafert Managing Director, Peter Evans, says the Sea SA option makes sense, moving grain and fertilisers across the state.

Peter says that taking account of total running costs inclusive of depreciation, repairs, maintenance, wages, insurance and the like, current record fuel prices have now tipped the balance firmly in favour of ferry travel. “With current fuel prices, it is even now a break-even scenario on cost to use B-Doubles on the ferry compared with road trains on the road.  This doesn’t take into account the added benefit of reduced driver fatigue” Peter says.

“The ferries are saving us between $80 to $115 per B-Double each way from Adelaide to the Eyre Peninsula depending on the size and nature of the load,” Peter confirmed.  “With the sealing of the final 2.5 kilometres of the Lucky Bay road to the Lincoln Highway due for completion in July, and roads on both sides of the Gulf into the terminals now gazetted for B-Doubles, Sea SA is a very attractive option for our business.”

Sea SA offers up to 4 crossings daily between the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas, with each voyage taking approximately two hours aboard a custom-built, drive-on, drive-off ferry, Sea Spirit.  The world-class catamaran can carry B-Double trucks, feeder bins, bull dozers with blades intact, tractors, trailers, coaches, M1 army tanks and all emergency response vehicles, including fully-loaded fire trucks.

 “In Europe and the US, governments provide incentives for heavy vehicles to use ferries and coastal shipping in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, road accidents, road congestion and road maintenance costs, “ Stephanie Dawson observed.

“At Sea SA, we are currently providing cost incentives for B-Double traffic and we are offering movers of heavy machinery for the Eyre Peninsula Field Days in Cleve a special 10% discount available for travel from 8^th to 17^th August,”  she said.  Bookings are essential and can be made by calling 08 8823 0777.                                   / ENDS