Spirit IV starts epic journey to Tasmania

THE Spirit of Tasmania IV is expected to arrive in Tasmania in late August after departing Leith in Scotland for the 14,857 nautical mile journey last week.

The 212m, 48,000-gross-tonne ship, which will eventually form part of the regular ferry service between Geelong and Devonport, left Leith on June 30.

The ferry will travel via Gibraltar, Cape Verde Islands, Cape Town in South Africa, Port Louis in Mauritius and Fremantle.

It is required to stay in Fremantle for four days for vessel importation, customs and immigration formalities, a crew change, bunkers and fresh stores.

TT-Line chief executive officer Chris Carbone said Spirit IV was expected to complete the trip to Fremantle in about six weeks, weather conditions permitting.

“We expect the vessel will be alongside in Hobart in late August for the final fit-out of items including Tasmanian-made mattresses and table tops, cabin stores and artwork, and to undertake vessel crew training,” he said.

“The training for our crew involves emergency response exercises, passenger muster simulation, firefighting drills, deployment of lifeboats and the mass evacuation systems.”

TT-Line became the ship’s owner last year.