Tasmanian Government weighs up report on replacement Bass Strait ferry options

A report from a taskforce established to consider how to replace the Spirit of Tasmania ferries has been finished and will be considered this week.

• New CEO named after Nick Heath’s retirement

LATEST:

A REPORT from a taskforce established to consider how to replace the Spirit of Tasmania ferries has been finished and will be considered by the state government this week.

The taskforce was formed in August last year, after the government went back to the drawing board after abandoning a plan for two new ferries to be built in Europe.

Those vessels were supposed to be in service last year, but instead the government elected to search for an Australian builder for some or all of the $850m-plus project.

“The government is committed to maximising Tasmanian jobs and making decisions in the best interests of Tasmania,” a government spokeswoman said on Saturday.

“The taskforce’s report has been provided and will be considered by the government this coming week.”

It comes after a survey revealed strong public backing for the plan to replace the ferries with two new larger monohull vessels.

Peak tourism body, the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania, on Saturday released the results of a survey of 1229 Tasmanians, undertaken by polling company UComm.

The poll found there was overwhelming support for TT-Line’s longstanding plan to replace the ferries with purpose-built vessels up to 40 per cent larger. Of those surveyed, 44 per cent strongly supported the idea, 34 per cent supported it, 5 per cent were opposed, 4 per cent strongly opposed and 12 per cent said they were unsure.

The poll showed there was little variation in results across the state’s five electorates.

Respondents were also asked their views on a proposal by Incat that the new Spirits be delayed while a catamaran is trialled on Bass Strait. Regarding this idea, 14 per cent of respondents strongly supported it, 22 per cent supported it, while 30 per cent opposed it and 14 per cent strongly opposed it.

“Everyone has an opinion, but this was the first time anyone has asked Tasmanians what they want,” TICT chief executive Luke Martin said.

EARLIER:

EXPORTERS, boat builders and the Tasmanian public want the state government to release the Vessel Replacement Taskforce’s report into options for replacing the Bass Strait ferries to calm speculation.

Boat builder Robert Clifford on Friday responded to a letter written to Premier Peter Gutwein by fish farming giants Tassal and Huon Aquaculture, in which the companies said they would not use a catamaran service to get their time-sensitive goods to Melbourne.

Robert Clifford. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Mr Clifford said the salmon farmers were inferring, mischievously, that if the government ordered a ship from Incat it would replace the current Spirit of Tasmania ferries.

“If the government did order a catamaran from Incat, as I hope will be the case, it would be as an additional option not a replacement for the services already there,” Mr Clifford said.

“There are six ships servicing Bass Strait freight needs – two of those ships carry passengers. How does adding a seventh ship hamper the salmon industry?

“Seems to me some party is being rather mischievous spreading misinformation.”

Mr Clifford said no-one could plan with any certainty or provide concrete answers to questions until the report was released.

A government spokesman earlier this week said the taskforce had met with freight and logistics providers that use the Bass Strait service on behalf of producers and exporters.

“These meetings were held to inform modelling on projected growth in freight requirements across Bass Strait. The taskforce understands the needs of Tasmanian industries.

“The government’s intention is that the taskforce report will be made public which will enable the opportunity for any feedback to be provided.”

The taskforce’s report is now overdue. A time frame of three to six months was initially given, but it is now over the six month mark.

Mr Clifford also said the fish farming companies’ suggestion that Incat could not build a reliable ship was insulting to its dedicated, skilled workers.

EARLIER:

SPECULATION the state government might be considering a catamaran service to replace the Spirit of Tasmania ferries on the Bass Strait run has raised concerns among Tasmania’s fish farmers.

In a letter to Premier Peter Gutwein, fish farming giants Tassal and Huon Aquaculture say the industry needs a reliable daily service to Melbourne and a catamaran would not provide that.

Clark independent Madeleine Ogilvie raised speculation in parliament this week that the government was considering buying a catamaran from Hobart shipbuilder Incat.

Tassal and Huon Aquaculture ship more than 80,000 tonnes of fish yearly.

The government would not confirm or deny that speculation, saying the Vessel Replacement Taskforce — established to recommend what vessels should replace the two ferries in the wake of two failed contracts with European shipbuilders — was due to hand down its report soon.

A government spokesman said the task force had met with freight and logistics providers on behalf of producers and exporters.

“The government’s intention is that the task force report will be made public which will enable the opportunity for any feedback to be provided,” he said.

The salmon companies said a catamaran freight service, which would be subject to restriction by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, would cause a serious disruption to the aquaculture industry and it would have to find alternatives.

“Furthermore, a change to the service scheduling would be similarly disruptive. The current TT-Line departure and arrival times allow us maximum production flexibility,” the letter said.

“In a 12-month period, we will ship approximately 80,000 tonnes of fish valued in excess of $1bn to the mainland with TT-Line.

“The Spirits of Tasmania are our highway to the mainland. Therefore, a reliable daily service that is not subject to restriction is critical to all time-sensitive export industries, not just for salmon.

Fish farmers don’t think a catamaran service is reliable enough to ship their product. Picture: Alan Barber

“Given the importance of the freight service provided by the TT-Line for time-sensitive freight such as ours, we are extremely disappointed and concerned that your task force has not been in touch with either Tassal or Huon Aquaculture to ensure that our needs are understood and taken into account.

“We have been advised that other export industries and freight companies who rely on the Spirits of Tasmania have not been contacted either.

“We fail to understand how your task force can possibly prepare a report on Bass Strait service options for you without consulting the salmon industry or any other businesses who ship time-sensitive freight and therefore rely solely on a reliable daily service provided by the TT-Line.”