It’s been an awfully long wait but the first of the new Spirit of Tasmania vessels is now safely in Tasmanian waters … but grey nomads won’t be boarding the larger vessel any time soon.
Spirit of Tasmania IV ferry arrived in Hobart late last month but will be moved to Victoria in eight weeks or so, where it will sit until it is ready to be used in a year’s time.
Ken Kanofski, the chair of state-owned ferry operator TT-Line, told the ABC that it would be cheaper to store the vessel in Victoria after the fit-out in Hobart is completed.
“She’ll be alongside in Hobart for about two months and we’ll be completing the fit-out — it’s things like tabletops, it’s mattresses, it’s electrical work, it’s medical equipment, it’s artwork, galley equipment for the galleys, a whole range of things,” Mr Kanofski said. “We’ll also be, importantly, starting some staff training.”
Spirit of Tasmania V has now also been handed over to TT-Line by Finnish ship-building company Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC). PIC: RMC
He says, however, that he is confident that the new Spirits will be operating between Devonport and Geelong by October next year.
While travellers will be excited by the prospect of more space on the ferries, which are often hard to get bookings on, there are now questions being asked about future fare levels.
The Mercury newspaper reports that the Labor opposition has called on Premier Jeremy Rockliff to rule out fare increases on the Bass Strait crossing. Opposition leader, Josh Willie, said the TT-Line was facing increased debt because of the delays and cost overruns associated with the ferries replacement project and delays to Devonport berth construction.
“We’ve seen an increase in the loan facility … is it going to be Tasmanians and tourists coming to Tasmania paying for the cost blowouts through increased fares over the journey?” Mr Willie said. “I think that would be detrimental to our tourism industry, hospitality venues, and Tasmanians who use the Spirit service.”
He told the Mercury that while the new ferries would be a significant game changer for the Tasmanian economy, if there were to be increased fares, it would dampen the effect.
However, the Government dismissed Labor’s claims as ‘trademark negativity’ and said TT-Line had already answered that question, and the answer was no.
When the new Spirit of Tasmania vessel arrived in Hobart, TT-Line chairman Ken Kanofski said the price rises relating to the new ships were not currently planned.
“Any company that replaces all of its ports and all of its ships over a four-year period is going to have a challenge with how to fund that in the short term,” he told the Mercury. “TT-Line obviously needs to fund all of the costs of running the current vessels and the new vessels … there won’t be any particular change in pricing that’s due to the cost of these vessels being laid up.”
Mr Kanofski said there was a cost of running the business, and that cost included having two vessels waiting to go into service.
“That’s a cost we need to cover, but the pricing is actually done,” he told the Mercury.
The second of the two new Spirit of Tasmania ships, Spirit of Tasmania V, was handed over to TT-Line by Finnish ship-building company Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) in June but it is not known when it will set sail for the Apple Isle.
The new Spirit of Tasmania ships are longer, wider and taller than their predecessors. The new ships will increase the annual passenger capacity on the Bass Strait route by almost 30%, the lane metres for passenger cars and freight by 60%, and the cabin capacity by approximately 35%, while the environmental impact of shipping will be significantly reduced.
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As a Tasmanian resident I have learn’t to never believe anything our premier or other pollies say.Unfortunately they are all liars to varying degrees
That is the nature of Australian politics. It is permitted by the most complacent apathetic sheeple on the planet, most of whom vote for the same political clowns as their ancestors and who never question anything.
Same in WA ,runs on circus and bread for the people.
If a polly has his/her mouth open they are about to begin lying, are lying or are about to finish lying
We toured Tassie in 2005 and found it was cheaper to stay in Motels and Pubs than pay the cost to take our Caravan to Tassie and back. And by not towing our van we saw a big saving in fuel as well.
We did a similar thing in 2012 staying in cabins.
It was way cheaper & worked beautifully.
The one and only trip we did on the ship was sufficient for a lifetime. Among other issues there was total disorganisation, false and misleading information provided by TT Line, vibration sufficient to shake the fillings out if ones teeth,and extortionate fares. Tasmania is fine but the Spirit of Tasmania is anything but. The suggestion that fares will need to increase should be the signal for a proper investigation and most probably different / competent management.
It would be great to have a two tier pricing, one for Tasmanian licence holders, and another for visitors. The latter are cashed up and prices become less relevant to them.
There is $542 discount from the government if you are Tasmanian. We are off in three weeks. Three people, our car and a cabin return for $1100. Having a caravan added is exorbitant.
Joan Kimberley: We are booked to travel on the Ferry from Corio to Devonport on 25th. December – night crossing. Two adults one Subaru Impreza & a two berth cabin. Only travelling ONE WAY as we couldn’t justify the cost of a return ticket! Hopefully fares will be cheaper in early March? Outrageous increase in fares – have been doing this trip every summer for 25 years!! FARES WILL KEEP INCREASING!!!!!
No there is no discount. Myself and others i know have never recieved any.
We have visited Tasmania many times, and even lived there for a number of years.
A beautiful state but the main stream politicians do not inspire any confidence in the people.
How inept would the politicians and the TT line senior management have to be, to go through the process of having larger ferries built, and not realise until the first is almost complete that they do not fit the current berth in Devonport. So no I would not trust either the Tasmanian government or TT line senior staff.
Could it be that they are just simply High Paid statues with No Brains… I mean really, how damn Stupid could you be.
I suppose they have to get their Mum’s to dress them and drive them to work.
Congratulations to all the experts engineers who disided for new wessels but dident know where to tie them up. You just like buying a new car but no garage or inuf land where to park it. So you should check the Devenport terminal when you had the plan for the new spirits and started the extension to be ready to akomodate them when they arrived. But looks like is the usual bo bo like many other things in Oz.
As far as I’m concerned, if it’s too dear, forget it, tourism will suffer for sure!
I have a taller vehicle and can’t get it to Tassie until Feb 26 as all taller vehicle spots are taken on every sailing. Such a terrible service. Bring on the new vessels.
This should be a shared costing because Tasmania is actually part of Australia. Tasmanians are Australian too.There’s no bridge (too long)yet crossing from on part of Australia to another should be the responsibility of federal govt. It’s not only a Tas responsibility to be able to travel interstate.
Maybe even entirely Australian owned would be fairer…is there a huge toll on the road over to WA?
Let’s think like a nation more – rather than individual states.
MS
I just had to change my “Spirit” booking from next year. I was hoping for March but I found that the prices ARE up by considerable amounts. I was so disgusted I phoned up TT Line and asked about it. They said fares aren’t up because of recouping costs for the new ships, but they called it “cost of living” increases. Yeah! Right!