State-owned ferry operator TT-Line has been forced to scrap plans to dock Spirit of Tasmania IV at a berth in Point Henry in Geelong after a safety assessment found it was not strong enough.
The newly constructed Spirit of Tasmania IV was going to be stored there temporarily after leaving Hobart.
Spirit IV, which has been getting its final fit-out over the past two months, has been moored at Hobart’s Macquarie Wharf.
The wharf is used by many cruise ships that visit over the summer, meaning it cannot stay there.
While it was originally set to be temporarily stationed at Point Henry at the Port of Geelong, TT-Line has confirmed “a mooring safety assessment indicated that the berth required infrastructure works”.
Instead, it will need to be moved between different berths at the Port of Geelong.
“As there is no viable option in Tasmania, the vessel will be temporarily stored at the Port of Geelong at a combination of Spirit’s existing terminal, at anchor and at a nearby berth,” a TT-Line spokesperson said.
The ABC understands that a recent safety assessment found the berth would need two additional bollards for the ship to berth there, at a cost of $2 million.
The ship was due to leave Hobart for Geelong on Saturday morning.
Spirit IV will be stored at the Port of Geelong until it can enter service, which is expected to be in late 2026.
TT-Line has previously said that even at anchor, it was cheaper to keep the ship in Geelong than Hobart, because of crewing requirements.
Geelong requires a 12-person crew on board, while in Hobart it is required to have a 22-person crew.
ABC News
