Iconic Rottnest Express powers on with help from MTU engines and CPG

Moving more than 400,000 people each year between Rottnest Island and Perth is no small feat.

However that’s just business for Rottnest Express, which has been commuting between the idyllic holiday island and the mainland for more than 60 years.

Rottnest Express General Manager Niko Peranovic said their four ferries were critical to the success of their operations, and transporting such a large volume of holiday makers each year.

“Our customers rely on our speed and efficiency and reliability, so having the confidence in the vessels to deliver on that is absolutely paramount,” Niko said.

Performance driven by planning and maintenance

The company’s iconic red and white ferries are all fitted with MTU engines, and together the vessels complete about 4,000 trips annually between Rottnest Island and Perth.

Rottnest Express engages CPG to manage the ongoing maintenance of the engines and supply replacement parts and new engines as required.

Additionally, the ferries are also taken out of the water each year during the quieter winter months to undergo a thorough repair and preventative-maintenance program to ensure they continue to perform as needed. This annual program is also managed by CPG.

“CPG has become an extension of our business,” Niko said. “Our team works very closely with the team at CPG, as well as their leadership team, in terms of formulating a plan of how we maintain the reliability and efficiency of our vessels,” he said.

Working hand-in-hand for success

CPG Director Mike Cippitelli is acutely aware of the importance of the annual servicing program to ensure the ferries remain reliable for the entire year.

“Throughout the planning phase as well as the maintenance program itself, our team work hand-in-hand with Rottnest Express to ensure the works are completed to a high standard but also in a timely manner so the ferries can get back in the water as soon as possible,” Mike said, adding that some servicing and maintenance is completed out of hours to ensure the vessels can meet the scheduled requirements.

“Our relationship with Rottnest Express, which dates back more than 2 decades, is a perfect example of how we deliver complete asset management to clients, from supplying the MTU engines, through to the after-sales support, as well as supplying the parts and undertaking the maintenance of the equipment,” he said.

“We’re quietly proud of the small part we get to play in helping so many people visit and experience Rottnest Island.”