On Oct 22, 2026, at 8.30 p.m. the 'Spirit of Tasmania I' sailed on its final passenger voyage, carrying travellers to Geelong, as the TT Line prepared to bring two new ships into service. The farewell came as Spirit Quay, the new terminal in Devonport built for the 'Spirit of Tasmania IV' and 'Spirit of Tasmania V', was officially opened on that day. The new ships were a week away from their first passenger sailings. The original vessels had served the Bass Strait for more than 25 years. The shipbroker Clarksons was handling the sale of both the 'Spirit of Tasmania I' and 'Spirit of Tasmania II' (IMO: 9158434). The TT Line was in advanced negotiations with a number of interested parties, but could not disclose details because they were commercially confidential. It did not expect the ships to be berthed for a long period of time. The sale process was ongoing. Report with photos: https://pulsetasmania.com.au/news/spirit-of-tasmania-i-makes-final-passenger-voyage-to-geelong/
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AMPERE
The 'Ampere' the world's first fully electric ferry, which entered service on Feb 16, 2016, has been put up for sale in Norway. According to the shipbroker J GRAN&CO AS, the company has been exclusively and officially appointed to offer theferry for sale. It currently operates between Lavik and Oppedal in the Sognefjord. When the contract for the Lavik-Oppedal ferry route was put out to tender, it included a special requirement: one of the ferries had to incorporate an innovative environmental feature. This marked the beginning of the development and deployment of electric ferries in Norwegian waters. The propulsion system for the "Ampere" was supplied by Siemens' Norwegian subsidiary in Trondheim. The Lavik–Oppedal ferry route, which is currently operated by the “Ampere”, will be served by four ships from the Fjord 1 shipping company between 2026 and 2034. The company was awarded the contract following a new tender for the route.
