SPIRIT OF TASMANIA 4
Die letzten Häfen
Die letzten Wegpunkte
Die neuesten Nachrichten
Probe into steering issues of ferries expanded
The transport safety watchdog has expanded its probe into steering issues on the 'Spirit of Tasmania IV' after the primary system failed on Nov 4, 2026. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) was already investigating an incident involving the 'Spirit of Tasmania V' during a trial voyage on Oct 24. During that incident, steering problems involving the autopilot briefly caused the ship to move outside the charted shipping channel limits off Geelong. The 'Spirit opf Tasmania IV' suffered its own steering issue, that resulted in a tug escorting the vessel to Geelong as a precaution, where the ferry berthed with a four-hour delay. When steering control was changed from the autopilot to manual mode (follow-up), the steering wheel did not respond to helm commands. Control was then changed to emergency non-follow-up to embark the pilot while the ship's engineers attempted to correct the fault. Once the pilot was on board, the ship aborted the entry to Port Phillip Bay to further investigate the issue. Further attempts to transfer steering to manual mode were unsuccessful. Subsequently, steering control was transferred to the bridge wing and central steering levers from where the ship was then steered. TT lines assured that all of the backup systems and procedures kicked into place, all of the protocols were followed, and the captain was always in control of the ship, and at all times passengers and crew were safe. It was not yet known if the steering issues on both vessels involved the same root cause. The TT-Line appointed an independent investigator to assess both incidents. The ATSB said the incident would now be included in a wider probe of the Oct 24 incident. The expanded investigation involved the download of 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, in line with the ATSB's highest investigation priority in the marine transport mode being occurrences involving Australian-flagged passenger vessels. The ATSB was s also investigating a third incident, in which the master of the 'Spirit of Tasmania I' was forced to abort the entry into Port Phillip Bay due to a position error on the ship's electronic chart display on Oct 15.
Passengers stuck on ferry for several hours
Passengers were stuck on board the new 'Spirit of Tasmania IV', hours after it was due in Geelong, less than a week after the ferry started carrying paying customers. The ferry left Devonport on Nov 4 just after 7 p.m. and was scheduled to dock on Nov 5 at 6.30 a.m. The ship, however, had to wait for a tug, before entering the channel, while it made multiple sharp turns in the Port Phillip Bay for four and a half hours.
New ferry arrived in home port two years after delivery
The 'Spirit of Tasmania IV' has arrived at its home port of Devonport on Aug 22, 2026, two years after the vessel was delivered, for the first time for operational commissioning works and training. The vessel was expected to enter service in October, providing a link between Australia and the Tasman city of Geelong. Construction of the vessel began at the Rauma Marine yard in 2022, and it was delivered in September 2024. However, the vessel could not sail to Devonport due to delays in the construction of a dedicated berth. The ferry had to be mothballed in Leith, Scotland, for close to a year, with berthing costs reported to be about A$47,000 per week. The 'Spirit of Tasmania IV' departed Leith in June last 2025, making the 14,857 nautical mile voyage to Hobart, where she underwent final fitting-out and crew training. With the construction of the Spirit Quay, Terminal 3 Devonport, now nearing completion, the ship and the new terminal have finally been brought together for operational readiness. The construction of the Spirit Quay, has faced significant delays and cost overruns. Having originally been designed to cost A$90 million, the facility has ended up costing a reported A$495 million. The ferry, which has a capacity of 1,800 passengers and a lifespan of 25 years, will increase the freight capacity on the route by 40 %.
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