SPIRIT OF TASMANIA V
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Steering issues of new ferries investigated
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.
Ferry arrived in Geelong
The 'Spirit of Tasmania V' has arrived in Port Philip Bay for the first time on May 2, 2026, completing her delivery from Finland, with a few months stop over in Edinburgh until March 7. She anchored off Geelong on the afternoon, and on May 3 she was due to dock at the TT-Line terminal to discharge the fuel pods before sailing up to station pier where she is meant to stay until June, then to Hobart for final out fitting.
Ferries need upgrading of hulls as a precaution
The 'Spirit of Tasmania IV', which has been berthed in Hobart since Aug 23, and the 'Spirit of Tasmania V' need an upgrading the hull for the service on the Bass Strait in preparation for rare or extreme weather events, or power failure. The extent of the required works is still being determined.The hull specification issue was picked up by the project's recovery team, which was introduced to address problems with the vessels' rollout following a series of public scandals. The issue stems from the new fenders on the wharf, which are designed to bear the impact of the ships when they berth. Some modifications to the fenders and to the ships are required. The 'Spirit of Tasmania IV' will not need to be dry docked for the works to be completed. The 'Spirit of Tasmania V' will get the hull works completed in Rauma, before it transits to Tasmania. The 'Spirit of Tasmania IV' will stay in Hobart for about two months, then it will be moved to Victoria until it's ready to start sailing between Geelong and Devonport in October 2026. A berth for the two new vessels is being built in Devonport. The new docking procedure in Devonport and Geelong will involve the two vessels essentially being sucked onto the wharf. The recovery team is also working closely with TasPorts and the Harbour Master on the wharf infrastructure, as it plans for berthing in rare or extreme events. Report with photos: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-30/tas-spirit-of-tasmania-hull-upgrade-needed/105833990?utm_medium=social&utm_content=sf278690797&utm_campaign=abc_hobart&utm_source=m.facebook.com&fbclid=IwY2xjawNIZWZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHkLmF-YQW5xDMlnLd6nh_--XY68qkYUk7G8RLc8YMqi1kE8Vk5o270FyMKqJ_aem_z5MpVTJb_xXG_24OKA4TdQ
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