MS Spirit of Tasmania II explained

MS Spirit of Tasmania II is a roll-on/roll-off ferry operated by TT-Line 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 III, since 2002 she has sailed for TT-Line as MS Spirit of Tasmania II.

Concept and construction

The Superfast III was the first ship of the second pair (the former pair being Superfast I and Superfast II) built for Superfast Ferries at Kvaerner Masa-Yards for its Adriatic Sea services from Patras to Ancona. She was a sister ship of Superfast IV.[1]

Amenities and deck layout

Spirit of Tasmania II has 11 decks, with 222 cabins.

Service history

1998–2002: Superfast III

The Superfast III entered service on 16 March 1998 on Superfast Ferries' Patras to Ancona service. On 1 November 1999 en route from Patras to Ancona a fire broke out in a freezer trailer on the vehicle deck, most likely in the electrical system. The ship's vehicle deck drenching system along with crew put the blaze out. All 307 passengers and 106 crew were evacuated and picked up by nearby ships.[2]

The ship arrived back in Patras the day after the disaster, and investigations began. Fourteen dead bodies were found in a truck.[3] These bodies were later identified as refugees from Kurdistan. After the investigations had concluded, the Superfast III set sail for the Blohm+Voss shipyards in Hamburg, Germany for repairs, arriving there on 3 December.

The repairs took 71 days during which 450 tons of steel, 84 km of cable, 1,200 m2 of insulation material and cladding were replaced, and a new tilting ramp and new public areas were installed.[4] [5] The cost to the underwriter (Attica Enterprises) was US$26 million. On 3 March she arrived back in Greece and once again operated on the Patras to Ancona route. In March 2002 the Superfast III was sold to TT-Line.

2002 Onwards: Spirit of Tasmania II

TT-Line took over their new ship on 10 May 2002. Along with her sister ship Superfast IV, she was handed over to TT-Line at Patras. The two ships then sailed to the Neorion ship yard on the island of Syros. During the ship's dry docking, works such as painting the new livery and superstructure, as well as a general overhaul were carried out. At the yard she was renamed Spirit of Tasmania II. She subsequently sailed to Hobart, Tasmania, where she was refitted for her new service. On 1 September 2002 she entered service on TT-Line's Melbourne to Devonport service. Between 21 July and 8 August 2014 the ship was docked for maintenance at the Captain Cook Graving Dock in Sydney.[6] [7] In 2015 it was refurbished in Devonport.[8] [9]

On 13 January 2016, the ship broke from her moorings at Station Pier, Melbourne during a storm and was withdrawn for repairs.[10] [11] The ship was repaired and re-entered service on 17 January.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: M/S Superfast III (1998) . 19 May 2008 . Asklander . Micke . Fakta om Fartyg . sv . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190218021157/http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/superfast_III_1998.htm . 18 February 2019 . Wayback Machine.
  2. News: Stowaways die in ferry fire . 20 May 2008 . . 2 November 1999 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121114202343/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/503076.stm . 14 November 2012 . Wayback Machine.
  3. Web site: Spirit of Tasmania II . 20 May 2008 . Latreche . Lucas . Ferries And Cruse Ships . 30 June 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080630185637/http://raflucgr.ra.funpic.de/spirit_of_tasmania_i1.htm . live .
  4. Web site: Repair Fire. https://web.archive.org/web/20110708105921/http://www.bvrepair.com/html_pages/repair_fire.htm. dead. 8 July 2011. 30 May 2009. Blohm+Voss Repair GmbH. Blohm+Voss Repair GmbH.
  5. Web site: Superfast repair by MacGREGOR. 16 January 2012 . MacGREGOR. MacGREGOR.
  6. Web site: Spirit of Tasmania - Timetable - 2014 DRY DOCK SCHEDULE . TT-Line Company . 2014 . 8 August 2014 . 10 August 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140810043701/http://www.spiritoftasmania.com.au/bookings/timetable/#2014-dry-dock-schedule . live .
  7. Web site: Sydney Ports - Ship Schedule - Sydney Harbour - Departures . Sydney Ports . 8 August 2014 . 8 August 2014 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130820114333/http://shipschedule.sydneyports.com.au/marineoperations/movements.asp#Departures . 20 August 2013 .
  8. https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/asia/trimline-completes-major-refurbishment-ferries-spirit-tasmania-1-2 Trimline completes major refurbishment of ferries Spirit of Tasmania 1 & 2
  9. Transforming Spirit of Tasmania Ships Monthly February 2016 page 7
  10. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/investigation-launched-as-spirit-of-tasmania-breaks-free-from-moorings-at-melbournes-station-pier/news-story/c00a46fe0bf0bed8223ff3e61d773ae8 Investigation launched as Spirit of Tasmania breaks free from moorings at Melbourne's Station Pier
  11. http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/spirit-of-tasmania-breaks-free-from-its-moorings-at-station-peir/news-story/6c8f6e80a551b9c3f613d55c453293c7 Spirit of Tasmania breaks free from its moorings at Station Pier

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