TT-Line has taken official ownership of the Spirit of Tasmania V following a handover ceremony at Rauma Marine Constructions’ shipyard in Finland.
The high-speed vessel, specifically designed for the Bass Strait crossing between mainland Australia and Tasmania, was accepted by TT-Line director retired Rear Admiral Steve Gilmore on Wednesday evening Australian time.
“This marks a significant milestone in our journey,” TT-Line CEO Chris Carbone said.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated project team members who have overseen the design, construction and delivery of the vessel, both in Australia and Finland.”
The delivery completes what has been described as one of the largest bilateral export projects ever undertaken between Finland and Australia, with the first vessel already delivered earlier this year.
Rauma Marine Constructions CEO Mika Nieminen acknowledged the partnership that brought the project to fruition.
“The vessel represents the strong shipbuilding expertise found in Rauma and demonstrates the capabilities of the Rauma shipyard,” Nieminen said.
The new Spirit of Tasmania vessels will replace their predecessors, which were also built in Finland during the 1990s, and feature significantly improved passenger, vehicle and freight capacity.
The project has generated substantial employment, with a total impact of more than 3,500 person years of work.
On Sunday, Premier Jeremy Rockliff revealed the other new ship, Spirit IV, will begin a six-week voyage in the coming days to reach Tasmanian shores following successful sea trials in Scotland.
The ship has been berthed at Leith in Scotland for several months due to the unavailability of a suitable port in Tasmania.
The vessel set out last week for several days of testing to confirm its liquefied natural gas (LNG) system is operating as expected, after repairs were carried out to address faults that kept it docked.
Final fit-out work is expected to be completed once the ships reach Hobart.
