TT-LINE'S Bass Strait ro-pax Spirit of Tasmania IV underwent "safety testing" in waters off Devonport yesterday [8 November]. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) confirmed it has expanded its existing investigation to include the steering failure that occurred on the vessel on 5 November as it was approaching the pilot station outside of Port Phillip.
The ATSB was already examining a similar 24 October occurrence involving sister ship Spirit of Tasmania V and says the expanded investigation will involve downloading both ships’ vessel data recorders for the relevant voyages, examining the ships’ equipment, interviewing involved crew and other relevant personnel and analysing records and documentation.
"This broadened investigation is in line with the ATSB’s highest investigation priority in the marine transport mode being occurrences involving Australian-flagged passenger vessels," the Bureau said.
Meanwhile, at a Public Accounts Committee hearing at the Tasmanian Parliament in Hobart on Friday [6 November], TT-Line chairman Ken Kanofski and CEO Chris Carbone defended payouts to departing executives in the past financial year.
TT-Line paid out $484,000 in leave entitlements with the highest amount going to former chief financial officer Kym Sayers, who received $184,000 in leave entitlements as part of her $525,000 exit package, which included a $315,000 employment termination payment.
Mr Carbone told the PAC he and the board had inherited a set of employment contracts which he did not believe were contemporary. New executives had been placed on modern contracts with shorter notice periods.
"The numbers that have been reported do include annual leave and long service leave, their employee entitlements that those employees are entitled to, regardless of the circumstances in how they leave the business," Mr Carbone said.
Mr Kanofski said they were "changing this business and we don't resile from that position".
"Part of that has been refreshing the leadership team. That's quite deliberate ... and there's a cost to that," he said.
Mr Carbone said he expected the sale of the replaced ferries Spirit of Tasmania I and II to be completed before the end of this financial year, with progress on the disposal of one vessel more advanced than the other. They are currently laid up in Melbourne, at Nelson Pier, Williamstown, and 4 Victoria Dock.
Mr Kanofski said the deal for one ship was likely to be completed by the end of 2026 but the price paid would not be revealed ahead of the disposal of the second, for obvious commercial reasons.