Spirit of Tasmania IV Delayed, Will Not Dock at Geelong Interim Berth
GEELONG, VICTORIA – Teh new Spirit of Tasmania IV ferry will not dock at it’s planned interim berth at Point Henry in Geelong, Victoria, as originally anticipated. TT-Line has confirmed the vessel is unable to utilise the berth due to unforeseen circumstances, prompting a revised plan for its arrival in Australia.
The Spirit of Tasmania IV, currently completing construction in Finland, was slated to temporarily dock at point Henry while awaiting final fit-out work in Hobart, Tasmania.However, TT-Line has now arranged for the ship to travel to scotland in late November, where it will be stored for approximately six months.
According to TT-Line, storing the vessel in Europe is a more cost-effective solution than bringing it directly to Australia. “European berths are less expensive than any Australian option,” a TT-Line spokesperson stated. The company also noted that maintaining a crew of nine in Europe is significantly less expensive than the staffing requirements in Australia,aiding in crew management.
This decision follows scrutiny of costs associated with the new ferries, with documents recently revealing that options to utilise the vessels to address housing or displacement needs in Scotland and california were rejected in favour of docking the ship at a cost of around $600,000 per month to Tasmanian taxpayers.
Sister ship, spirit V, is also heading to storage in scotland. Spirit V previously stayed in Leith,Scotland at a cost of approximately $800,000 a month.
The Spirit of Tasmania IV is now expected to arrive in Australia in the first half of next year, initially docking in Hobart for its final fit-out. The move to Scotland is necessitated by the approaching winter conditions in the northern hemisphere, requiring the ship to leave the Finnish shipyard before icy conditions set in.