TT-Line sets passenger and profit records on the back of extra sailings and freight

THE state’s twin Bass Strait ferries have produced a series of new records, TT-Line’s 2016-17 annual report shows.

The Spirit of Tasmania vessels carried more than 430,000 passengers last financial year. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

BASS Strait ferry operator TT-Line has been hailed as “one of Tasmania’s great success stories” after it posted a record profit and passenger numbers.

TT-Line’s 2016-17 annual report, tabled in Parliament this week, shows the state-owned company posted a record after-tax profit of $25.1 million for the year ended June 30.

The ferries conducted more sailings last fincial year and carried 433,925 passengers — the highest figure reported since 2004 when the Devonport-Sydney service was in operation.

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania CEO Luke Martin said the fact the company achieved 31 per cent passenger growth as well as lower average fares and a strong profit result was a “tremendous achievement for the company and the state”.

“The Spirit of Tasmania is the engine room of regional tourism, and more passengers ultimately means more visitor spending in the areas of Tasmania that most need it,” Mr Martin said.

“Visitors to Tasmania who arrive by sea stay longer, spend more and disperse further into regional areas. To put these results in perspective, a 31 per cent increase in passengers is almost the equivalent of a whole additional ship on Bass Strait.

“The increase in daytime sailings and the refurbishment has clearly been a tremendous success in providing more low-cost capacity for visitors.

“For the company to achieve all this plus a strong profit result bodes well for the future of the Bass Strait service and should give confidence to the Tasmanian Government and community as we look to invest in a new generation of Bass Strait ships.”

Freight volumes carried by the twin ferries were also the highest on record.

Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding said passenger numbers had declined to 330,000 in the final year of the Labor-Green government.

Mr Hidding said the result justified the government’s policy to reinvigorate the Spirits through the complete refurbishment of both vessels, the doubling of day sailings and reducing the average fare prices by 15 per cent as advised by TT Line.