Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Construction (RMC) has floated out a new Ro-Pax ferry ordered by Australian operator TT-Line Company. Named Spirit of Tasmania V, the vessel is the second of two ferries ordered from RMC by TT-Line Company for its Spirit of Tasmania brand.
The vessels will be operated between Geelong and Devonport on Australia’s Bass Strait, a route known for its challenging sea conditions. The vessels will replace their sister ships built in Finland in the 1990s. RMC said the passenger, vehicle, and cargo capacities of the new Spirit of Tasmania ships are significantly greater than those of their predecessors.
Delivery of Spirit of Tasmania V is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025. Sister vessel Spirit of Tasmania IV recently completed its initial series of sea trials and will be handed over in Q3 2024. Although construction of the vessels will take place in Finland, fit-out and all subsequent maintenance will be carried out in Tasmania under a government mandate requiring "significant local capacity."
Spirit of Tasmania IV will later undergo a second series of trials. The ferry will be handed over to TT-Line company afterwards.