Last week Ferry Shipping News was just in time to publish the news about the Memorandum of Understanding between Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) and Australian TT-Line Company. Two ropax ferries are going to be built in Finland instead of Flensburg, Germany.
This has now been confirmed by Flensburger, RMC and TT Line Tasmania.
TT Line’s Chairman Michael Grainger said the decision was mutually agreed by TT-Line and FSG.
Alex Gregg-Smith, Managing Director of FSG said, “This decision has been taken with the mutual consent of all parties concerned and is part of our reorientation of FSG as we focus on building high-quality products on time and on budget.”
The vessels will be built at Rauma shipyard and delivered at the end of 2022 and 2023. The vessels set to operate under the brand Spirit of Tasmania will replace the existing vessels, SPIRIT OF TASMANIA I and SPIRIT OF TASMANIA II (ex. SUPERFAST III and SUPERFAST IV), built in Finland in 1998.
The new ferries will accommodate 1,800 passengers and will have an approximate gross tonnage of 48,000. The ferries are set to operate in challenging conditions on the Melbourne, Australia – Devonport, Tasmania route.
