Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) has held a launching and naming ceremony for TT Line’s second car and passenger (RoPax) ferry, which will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
As informed, the vessel Spirit of Tasmania V was launched and named on July 19, 2024. The ship is the second of two car and passenger ferries ordered from the shipyard for Tasmania. The launch and christening ceremony of the first vessel, Spirit of Tasmania IV, was held last October.
The car and passenger ferries built by RMC will operate between Geelong and Devonport on Australia’s Bass Strait, a route known for its challenging sea conditions. The vessels will replace their sister ships built in Finland in the 1990s. The passenger, vehicle, and cargo capacity of the new ships is significantly greater than that of their predecessors, according to RMC.
“The Spirit of Tasmania vessels are specifically designed for this route and its demanding sea conditions. Our shipyard is known for our ability and expertise to customize ships to meet the high standards and quality requirements of our clients. I am extremely proud of the progress in the construction of these vessels. The project we are delivering for TT-Line Company is also nationally significant, as it is one of the largest individual export deals between Australia and Finland,” said Mika Nieminen , CEO and President of RMC.
The first of TT-Line Company’s new vessels, Spirit of Tasmania IV, will be delivered this August. The Spirit of Tasmania V will be completed next spring.
TT-Line ordered two car and passenger ferries from Rauma Marine Constructions for a challenging open sea route between Victoria and Tasmania. The new ferries will have a capacity of 1,800 passengers and approximately 2,500 lane meters on two freight decks.