Spirit of Tasmania IV departs for Scotland, where it will berth amid delays to Tasmanian port infrastructure upgrades
The first of two new Spirit of Tasmania ferries will undergo a crucial test this weekend, conducting sea trials and testing equipment en route to Scotland.
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The first of two new Spirit of Tasmania vessels will undergo a crucial test this weekend, undertaking sea trials on a voyage from Finland to Scotland, where it is set to berth amid ongoing delays to port infrastructure upgrades in Tasmania.
The completed Spirit of Tasmania IV departed on its three-and-a-half day voyage at 10pm on Friday (Tasmanian time) and will test its systems, performance and capabilities under real-world conditions.
Spirit of Tasmania V, meanwhile, is expected to be completed in early-to-mid 2025 but it has not yet been determined where the vessel will be berthed while work continues on upgrading Berth 3 in Devonport.
The new ships, which are being built by Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions for $900m, were originally set to be completed and brought to the state by 2021 but this never occurred.
Beset by delays and cost blowouts, the vessels will now not be in service until 2027 after it was revealed that the upgrades to Berth 3 would not be ready until February of that year.
The state government plans to lease them out in the interim but an arrangement is yet to be finalised by TT-Line.
TT-Line acting CEO Kym Sayers said a berth had been secured for Spirit IV at Leith in Scotland for a minimum of 30 days and a formal agreement would be signed “once ancillary services for the vessel’s time [there] have been negotiated and agreed to”.
“This will occur after the vessel has berthed,” she said.
“These could include shore power, dockyard labour, security, cranage, consumables and provision, towing and pilotage.”
Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks appeared before state parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Friday morning, answering questions about the replacement Spirits and issues plaguing the project.
The Premier told parliamentarians the state government’s commitment to incorporate up to $100m in Tasmanian content for the fit-out of the new vessels remained in place, saying there had been “engagement” with Tasmanian businesses and there was further work to be done when the ships eventually arrived in the state.
Mr Rockliff said the project review and assurance steering committee tasked with overseeing the delivery of the new Spirits would publish an update on December 10 that would include additional information on local content in the fit-out.
Ms Sayers said TT-Line had contracted with a number of local suppliers to provide additional items for the new ferries, which would all be honoured.
“Prior to the vessel commencing operations on Bass Strait, a final fit-out of locally produced mattresses, tabletops and artwork will be undertaken in Hobart, along with training of staff,” she said.
Deputy Labor leader Anita Dow was critical of Mr Rockliff’s performance before the PAC, saying he didn’t know “any details” about how much it would cost to berth Spirit IV in Scotland.
“The fiasco has since become an international embarrassment for Tasmania, with the business community declaring it would be difficult to ever trust this government again,” she said.
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