Tasmanian Ferry Fiasco Nears End with New Vessel's Arrival in Devonport
The Tasmanian government is finally hoping to put the fiasco that has characterized its ferry replacement program behind it following the arrival of the Spirit of Tasmania IV ferry to its home port of Devonport, Tasmania, two years after the vessel was delivered.
After a debacle that has lasted for close to a decade in which plans to replace two aging ferries have been marred by issues cutting across contract termination, design changes, cost overruns, and finally a lack of a dedicated berth, Tasmania has reasons to celebrate after Spirit of Tasmania IV arrived in Devonport for the first time for operational commissioning works and training. The vessel is expected to enter service in October, providing a link between Australia and the Tasman city of Geelong.
Construction of the vessel began at the Rauma Marine yard in Finland in 2022, and it was delivered in September 2024. However, the vessel could not sail to Devonport due to delays in the construction of a dedicated berth. This meant the 212-meter (696-foot), 48,000 gross ton ship had to be mothballed in Leith, Scotland, for close to a year. Being docked in Leith was a costly affair for the ship’s operator, TT-Line, with berthing costs reported to be about A$47,000 (US$33,600) per week. At some point, TT-Line considered the idea of leasing the ship to a third party to save on costs and generate revenue.
Spirit of Tasmania IV departed Leith in June last year, making the 14,857 nautical mile voyage to Hobart, where she underwent final fitting-out and crew training. With the construction of the Spirit Quay, Terminal 3 Devonport, now nearing completion, the ship and the new terminal have finally been brought together for operational readiness.
Construction of Spirit Quay, which will offer nearly double the space of the current facility, has faced significant delays and cost overruns. Having originally been designed to cost A$90 million (US$64.3 million), the facility has ended up costing a reported A$495 million (US$354 million).
The Tasmanian government is terming the arrival of Spirit of Tasmania IV in Devonport as a game changer for Bass Strait travel and freight. The roll-on/roll-off ferry, which has a capacity of 1,800 passengers and a lifespan of 25 years, will increase the freight capacity on the route by 40 percent. The vessel operates at a speed of up to 26 knots.
The new ferries are fast at 26 knots and increase the capacity for the service (TT-Line)
While the arrival of Spirit of Tasmania IV is a major relief, its sister ship, Spirit of Tasmania V, which was delivered by Rauma Marine in June last year, is also in Australian waters, having arrived from Leith in April this year. TT-Line has highlighted that both vessels are scheduled to commence service in Bass Strait by the end of October.
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“The vessels were designed and built with Bass Strait in mind – featuring an enhanced hull design and large stabilizer fins to ensure optimal passenger comfort during their 242-kilometer voyage between Devonport and Geelong,” said Ken Kanofski, TT-Line Chairman.
The ships are intended to replace two aging hulls, Spirit I and II, that were built in 1998 and which have reached their operational end of life. The road to replacing the two ships began in 2018 when TT-Line ordered two 212-meter ferries from the then Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) yard in Germany. TT-Line later cancelled the order, made a number of modifications to the original design, and awarded the contract to Rauma Marine in 2021.
