Spirit of Tasmania IV keel-laying ceremony held in Rauma
The keel of the first of the two identical ferries was laid in Rauma, Finland
(Source: RMC)
A keel laying ceremony has been held at Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) in Finland to mark the start of hull construction on car and passenger ferry, Spirit of Tasmania IV. The vessel is the first of two sister ships being built for Tasmania’s TT-Line Company.
The ferries, which will replace two sister ships also built in Finland in the 1990s, will have capacity for 1,800 passengers and will operate on the challenging route across the Bass Strait between Geelong, Victoria, and Devonport in Tasmania. Both vessels are due for delivery in 2024.
The shipbuilder’s CEO, Mika Heiskanen, commented: “Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the design and production of the Spirit of Tasmania vessels have proceeded according to the agreed schedule. The keel laying of the project’s first vessel is a wonderful demonstration of this. We expect our turnover to grow significantly in 2023.”
Spirit of Tasmania CEO, Bernard Dwyer, revealed that the new ferries will be 40% larger than the existing pair. “The investment we are making in these vessels is a once-in-a-generation event that will deliver important benefits to Tasmania’s visitor economy and the broader economy,” he said.
The shipbuilding project will create about 3,500 person-years of work at RMC and represents the largest-ever sale transaction between Finland and Australia.
