Working hard

IN response to “Bruny ferry farce” (Mercury, January 14) and as a director of Richardson Devine Marine Constructions, the local specialist aluminium shipbuilder contracted to build two new Bruny Island ferries, I hold the Mercury accountable for a relentless stream of negative misinformation. RDM has been building aluminium commercial vessels in Hobart for 30 years, with deliveries worldwide. The new Bruny ferry at our wharf awaiting final commissioning and trials is hull number 75. We employ 50 full-time workers and about the same number of subcontractors for each new vessel. With every good news story celebrating a new build, we are lucky to see a brief, page 5 or 10 mention in the newspaper. Yet, the Mercury wasted no time in stirring muck on the front page.

Our workforce and subcontractors worked tirelessly for the past eight months building the new ferry. RDM is within the contract delivery timeline. This has always had a connection between the final approved design delivery, which suffered early delays, beyond RDM’s control. Optimistic goals were set for an early delivery, which unfortunately were interpreted as concrete promises. Anyone involved in specialised construction of custom technologies realises delivery delays are not unusual. Coinciding with these minor delays came Christmas/New Year, which created havoc when trying to schedule specialist technicians and international commissioning.

We at RDM have been doing all we can to expedite delivery, and we recognise that Sealink, Australia’s most prominent passenger ferry operator, with three vessels in service in peak times, has been doing all in its power to provide more service between Kettering and Robert’s Point than there has ever been. With queues and delays, it is clear Bruny’s popularity is rising. Bear in mind though, one cannot drive up Davey St or cross Tasman Bridge at 5pm on any work day without expecting delay. This is the nature of peak time.

How about the Mercury change their destructive narrative and look and listen to what thriving companies like Sealink and RDM are doing to improve the situation. Sealink is working with Government to improve shoreside infrastructure.

Ron Devine Richardson Devine Marine Constructions