The newest Spirit of Tasmania ferry has arrived in Australia after a marathon six-week voyage from Scotland – but it will be another two weeks before it steams into Hobart.
Spirit of Tasmania IV docked in Fremantle on Tuesday morning, having set sail from Leith in Scotland on June 30.
The 212-metre vessel’s journey took it through Gibraltar, Cape Verde, Cape Town and Mauritius before reaching Western Australia.
It will spend four days in Fremantle clearing customs and immigration, swapping crew and loading fresh supplies and fuel for the final leg to Tasmania.
Weather permitting, Spirit IV is scheduled to arrive in Hobart on August 23.
TT-Line CEO Chris Carbone said the arrival was a “significant milestone” in the vessel’s journey.
“Spirit of Tasmania IV and V are generational investments that will ultimately benefit the broader Tasmanian economy and the visitor economy,” he said.
“We are obviously very excited about the new vessels – their increased size is important, which will allow for greater capacity for passengers, vehicles, caravans and freight.”
“We are just as excited about the exceptional sailing experience they will deliver.”
The ferry represents one of two new vessels set to replace TT-Line’s current Bass Strait fleet.
Built by Finland’s Rauma Marine Construction, the vessel was finished last year but spent almost six months tied up in Scotland while the state government considered potential leasing options.
That delay had cost taxpayers $4.3 million in storage, crew and port fees by late April.
