The Cape Jervis and Penneshaw terminals will be temporarily closed to prepare for new ferries. (Supplied: SeaLink)
Kangaroo Island's long-awaited new ferry service has been delayed yet again, more than 12 months after it was supposed to start.
Electrical components on the second ferry were damaged during final testing, causing the delay.
SeaLink has revised the start date to November, citing an "incident" during the final testing of its second vessel, Ruwi.
Kangaroo Island's long-awaited new ferry service will be delayed again, more than 12 months after it was supposed to start.
The two new vehicles, delivered by SeaLink, were initially expected to begin service early last year, but last October the company adjusted the commencement to June 1 this year.
In April, transport minister Joe Szakacs said the ferries would not be ready by June, and the following month SeaLink confirmed that delay and said the service would commence "on or before 23 September 2026".
Ruwi's electrical components were damaged in final testing of fire deluge systems, delaying delivery. (Supplied: SeaLink)
SeaLink has now revised the start date to November, citing an "incident" during the final testing of its second vessel, Ruwi, which remains in Indonesia where it was built.
Kangaroo Island Mayor Michael Pengilly said he and the community were "desperately cranky" at the situation.
"[The community has] sort of been misled for a long time and haven't had straight answers, and for this to happen now at the eleventh hour is really quite distressing to many people," he said.
In October last year, SeaLink said the first ferry — Wanggami — would be arriving "late 2025". That vessel reached Port Adelaide in April this year.
In its May announcement, SeaLink said Ruwi was expected to reach Port Adelaide "by August".
It has now revised that to "late September", following an incident during the harbour commissioning and final testing process.
Michael Pengilly says the community is "desperately cranky" at the situation. (ABC South East SA: Caroline Horn)