Spirits on the move

TT LINE’s ro-paxes Spirit of Tasmania IV and Spirit of Tasmania V are in the process of swapping places as preparations continue for their late-October entry into Bass Strait service.

Spirit V is returning from Hobart, where it spent five weeks undergoing final fit-out work and serving as a venue for the city’s Dark MoFo festival.

In a social media post Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff said the ship had hosted over 80,000 visitors during the festival and around 100 contractors had been employed on the fit-out work.

Spirit V is enroute to Geelong where it is scheduled to under go berthing trials at the TT Line terminal tonight, following the regular departure to Devonport of Spirit of Tasmania I.

Meanwhile, Spirit IV is moving today [15 July] from its lay-by berth at Nelson Pier, Williamstown where it underwent hull-strengthening work, to Port Melbourne’s Outer East Station Pier to continue its lay-up.

In turn, Spirit V will relocate from Geelong to Nelson Pier early tomorrow morning to undergo the same structural engineering work.

Next month Spirit IV will sail to Devonport for berthing trials at the still-to-be completed new TT Line terminal at Berth 3, to check the ‘fit’ with the triple-level vehicle loading gantry.

The Tasmanian government and contractors remain confident the terminal will be ready to accommodate the new ships’ entry into service at the end of October.