New Spirit of Tasmania IV ferries to run at half capacity after wharf upgrade blunder

The two new $880m Spirit of Tasmania ferries will sail at less than half capacity for at least their first year of operation. The details >>>

The two new $880m Spirit of Tasmania ferries will sail with greatly reduced vehicle and passenger numbers for at least their first year of operation because berth upgrades to accommodate them won’t be ready in time.

Parliament was told that the new ferries, which have room for 1800 passengers and 4098-lane metres capacity for vehicles, will operate at the 1400 passenger and 1675-lane metre capacity of the old ferries until Devonport’s Berth 3 upgrades are complete, most likely in 2026.

It means the ferries will depart with the equivalent of 400 passenger berths and 300 car spots empty each sailing.

“When operating from berth 1, the new vessel will be able to carry the same number of passengers, passenger vehicles and freight containers as the current vessels, a TT-Line spokesman said.

“It is an interim solution only. Berth 3 is designed to operate fully functional vessels, similar to the current Geelong Port.”

Documents tabled in state parliament on Wednesday reveal that Treasurer Michael Ferguson and Transport Minister Eric Abetz rebuked TT-Line for failing to ensure the $375m in port upgrades were ready for the ferries.

In the meantime, an estimated $50m will be spent on upgrades berth 1 at Devonport.

Spirit of Tasmanian IV first sea trial. As the build of Spirit of Tasmania IV nears completion, the ship took to the open seas for the first time on a five-day trial run from Rauma Marine Constructions in Finland. Picture: Spirit of Tasmania

Premier Jeremy Rockliff tabled a series of letters between the government and TT-Line which revealed the government has known of the problem for months.

“It has been made clear by the government that we are very disappointed in the recent advice from the TT-Line that, even with the delays in the delivery of the vessels, the berthing infrastructure at Devonport for which the TT-Line has had clear responsibility, will not be ready in time for the arrival of the new vessels,” one letter said.

“We also note that the decision to rescind the existing Preferred Tenderer status was made unilaterally by TT-Line during the recent caretaker period, without notifying or briefing the government and that this decision has caused further delay due to the need to undertake a further procurement process.

Spirit of Tasmania V, has been officially named and launched at a traditional ceremony at shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) yards in Finland. Governor of Tasmania, Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC. Picture: Supplied/TT-Line

“Any further delay in the operation of TT-Line’s new vessels due to a failure to have completed port infrastructure is rightly seen as a matter of great concern by the Tasmanian tourism industry, freight operators and the broader Tasmanian community.”

The government has issued a ministerial direction to TT-Line and TasPorts to sort the mess out, quickly.

Labor leader Dean Winter condemned the government’s performance on the ships upgrade on Wednesday.

“This is a complete farce,” he said.

“You have spent nearly a billion dollars on ships that can barely be half-filled because you have not delivered the wharf upgrades you have had seven years to prepare for, some of those years as Infrastructure minister.

“How on earth has this happened?”

Mr Rockliff defended his government’s performance.

“This is a challenging decision and we will deliver these ships with or without your support, and we have had no support from the Leader of the Opposition, who talks a big game, talks up jobs, but backflips at every single opportunity when it gets too hard,” he said.

“How many questions did I get this time last year on the stadium? My colleagues would probably say hundreds, but we stuck to it.

“You backflipped after the last election because you are weak.”