The first of two brand new Spirit of Tasmania ships is set to be relocated to and mothballed in Scotland as options to lease out the vessel continue to be explored by operator TT-Line.
Spirit IV and Spirit V were commissioned to replace the existing Spirit of Tasmania vessels and boast a 40 per cent increase in freight and passenger capacity to the existing ships, however consistent delays in constructing a large enough berth for them have rocked the project.
The new berth was supposed to have been constructed by August 2024, however likely projections indicate it will not be ready until February 2027.
Spirit of Tasmania CEO Bernard Dwyer says the ship will be relocated to Scotland due to environmental conditions in Finland, where both Spirit IV and Spirit V are being constructed.
“To ensure the vessel’s safety and preservation, we will temporarily relocate it to Leith, Scotland where conditions are more suitable,” Dwyer says.
The failure to have the new berth ready for the arrival of the new ships has previously been labelled as “the biggest infrastructure stuff-up” in Tasmanian history by state Labor Leader Dean Winter, who has also labelled the ships as a “billion-dollar billboard of incompetence”.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff says options to lease the ships out until the new berth is ready are being explored, to minimise the negative impact on the Tasmanian economy.
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