TT LINE outgoing chief executive Bernard Dwyer has confirmed Spirit of Tasmania IV will be transferred from builder RMC in Finland to the port of Leith in Scotland, pending a possible charter fixture.
Mr Dwyer, who is due to depart at the end of his current contract on 3 November, said in a statement that the vessel would need to leave the builder’s yard before icy conditions set in at the end of November, given “ice pack conditions posed potential operational risks”.
“To ensure the vessel’s safety and preservation, we will temporarily relocate it to Leith, Scotland, where conditions are more suitable. This move is necessary, as the vessel is not designed for the extremely low ambient temperatures anticipated in Rauma.
“We are actively coordinating to organise crew arrangements for Spirit of Tasmania IV‘s temporary relocation,” he said. “Meanwhile, TT-Line continues to explore opportunities to lease or charter the vessel.”
He added that completion of the second vessel, Spirit of Tasmania V, would not be affected by the Baltic winter and would continue at RMC as planned. Delivery is due in early 2025 but there is no indication of whether it will join its sister in Scotland, or how long one or both vessels may remain at Leith.
Meanwhile, disillusioned Tasmanians were invited by local media to proffer possible alternate uses for the ro-paxes until their new East Devonport terminal is ready, now forecast as February 2027.
Suggestions include mooring the vessels at each end of the state as ‘ship to nowhere’ novelty tourist and local experiences; day cruises from Hobart; an overnight service between Melbourne and Sydney; and others that shouldn’t appear in a polite publication like DCN.
