MS ''Spirit of Tasmania I'' is a

roll-on/roll-off Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, Trailer (vehicle), trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their ...

ferry A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus ...

operated by

Spirit of Tasmania TT-Line Company Pty Ltd, trading as Spirit of Tasmania, is a Tasmanian Government-owned business that has been offering ferry services between mainland Australia and Tasmania since July 1993. Navigating the Bass Strait, Spirit of Tasmania f ...

between

Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung language, Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in Victoria, Australia, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River (Victo ...

and Devonport in Australia. Built in 1998 by

Kvaerner Masa-Yards STX Finland Oy, formerly Aker Yards Oy, was a Finnish shipbuilding company operating three shipyards in Finland, in Turku, Helsinki and Rauma, Finland, Rauma, employing some 2,500 people. It was part of STX Europe, a group of international shipbu ...

at Turku New Shipyard in Finland for

Superfast Ferries Superfast Ferries is a Greece-based ferry company founded in 1993 by Pericles Panagopoulos, Pericles Panagopulos and Alexander Panagopoulos, Alexander Panagopulos. Superfast Ferries is a member of Attica Group and operates 5 car-passenger fer ...

as MS ''Superfast IV'', since 2002 she has sailed for Spirit of Tasmania as the ''Spirit of Tasmania I.''

Concept and construction

The ''Superfast IV'' was the second ship of the second pair (the former pair being ''

Superfast I Superfast may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Superfast!'', a 2015 film * ''Superfast'' (album), by Dynamite Hack, 2000 * "Superfast", a 2014 song by Hollie Cook on the album ''Twice'' Other uses * Superfast broadband, using optical fiber t ...

'' and ''

Superfast II Superfast may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Superfast!'', a 2015 film * ''Superfast'' (album), by Dynamite Hack, 2000 * "Superfast", a 2014 song by Hollie Cook on the album ''Twice'' Other uses * Superfast broadband, using optical fiber t ...

'') built for

for its

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...

services from

Patras Patras (; ; Katharevousa and ; ) is Greece's List of cities in Greece, third-largest city and the regional capital and largest city of Western Greece, in the northern Peloponnese, west of Athens. The city is built at the foot of Mount Panachaiko ...

Ancona Ancona (, also ; ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region of central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona, homonymous province and of the region. The city is located northeast of Ro ...

She was a sister ship of '' Superfast III''. Spirit of Tasmania 1 bulbous bow

Spirit of Tasmania 1 multilingual info sign 1

Spirit of Tasmania 1 multilingual info sign 3

Amenities and deck layout

''Spirit of Tasmania I'' has 11 decks, with 222 cabins. *Decks 1 to 6 are used to hold cars and trucks. The fore-ends of Decks 1 and 2 are accessed via a ramp from deck 3 (The aft-end space of the two decks houses the ships machinery). Deck 6 holds cars using a hoistable platform. *Deck 7 has cabins, a reception area, small movie theater, lounge bar, gaming lounge, gift shop, tourism bureau, main bar, two restaurants and a children's playroom. *Deck 8 has cabins and an ocean recliner area. *Deck 9 is mainly crew area. *Deck 10 has a bar and disco area. *Deck 11 has a helicopter landing pad.

Service history

1998–2002: ''Superfast IV''

The ''Superfast IV'' entered service on 1 April 1998 on Superfast Ferries'

service. In March 2002 the ''Superfast IV'' was sold to

2002 onwards: ''Spirit of Tasmania I''

Spirit of Tasmania took over its new ship at

on 10 May 2002. The ship was then sailed to the Neorion ship yard on the island of Syros for painting and general overhaul. She was renamed ''Spirit of Tasmania I''. She subsequently sailed to

Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

, where she was refitted for her new service. On 1 September 2002 she entered service on the

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

to Devonport service. In 2015 she was refurbished in Devonport. ''Spirit of Tasmania I'' and sistership ''

Spirit of Tasmania II MS ''Spirit of Tasmania II'' is a roll-on/roll-off ferry operated by Spirit of Tasmania between Geelong and Devonport in Australia. Built in 1998 by Kvaerner Masa-Yards at Turku New Shipyard in Finland for Superfast Ferries as MS ''Superfast I ...

'' are scheduled to be replaced by the ''

Spirit of Tasmania IV ''Spirit of Tasmania IV'' is a roll-on/roll-off ferry built by Rauma Marine Constructions in Rauma, Finland. It is to be operated by Spirit of Tasmania in Australia on the Bass Strait ferries, Bass Strait ferry route between Port of Geelong, Gee ...

'' and ''

Spirit of Tasmania V ''Spirit of Tasmania V'' is a roll-on/roll-off ferry, under construction by Rauma Marine Constructions at its shipyards in Rauma, Finland. It is to be operated by Spirit of Tasmania in Australia on the Bass Strait ferry route between Geelong, ...

'' in 2026.

2005 event

During the night of 3-4 February 2005 ''Spirit of Tasmania I'' ran into heavy seas in the

Bass Strait Bass Strait () is a strait separating the island state of Tasmania from the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland (more specifically the coast of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, with the exception of the land border across Boundary Islet). The ...

while sailing from Melbourne to Devonport. At approximately 02:00 the seas reached a height of 20 metres. The seas smashed cabin windows on the starboard bow and subsequently cabin walls were smashed down, flooding cabin decks as high as deck 9 (the deck under the bridge). Many passengers were unaware of the cause of water in their cabins since the water had disabled the public announcement system. The captain decided it best to return to Melbourne, arriving mid-morning to heavy media coverage. The ship remained in port overnight for temporary repairs and sailed again the following evening for Devonport.Pounded by wild seas, Spirit forced to turn tail
''

The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...

'' 4 February 2005

References

External links

Spirit of Tasmania I
Ferries of Tasmania {{DEFAULTSORT:Spirit of Tasmania I Bass Strait ferries Ferries of Australia Ships built in Turku Superfast III-class fast ropax ferries 1998 ships