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Spirit of Tasmania has been part of the name of four different ships that have served as passenger/vehicle ferries on Bass Strait, between Tasmania and the Australian mainland. The ships have all been owned and operated by the Tasmanian Government operated TT-line.
Spirit of Tasmania (1993-2002)
Main article: M/S Spirit of TasmaniaThe first ship, Spirit of Tasmania started sailing in 1993. It sailed three return trips a week between Devonport, Tasmania and Station Pier in Melbourne, Victoria. The crossings were overnight and took approximately 15 hours. In 2002, Spirit of Tasmania was de-commissioned, and sold to the Fjord Line company in Norway and Renamed Fjord Norway.
Spirit of Tasmania I and II (2002-)
The original Spirit was replaced with two ships Spirit of Tasmania I and Spirit of Tasmania II, which were purchased from SuperFast ferries in Greece - formerly Superfast III and Superfast IV. They travel the same Devonport-Melbourne route, however each ship makes one trip each night, taking only ten hours. In peak periods, the ships also make day crossings. The introduction of these two ship have played a major role in giving the Tasmanian tourism industry a much needed boost. Before the introduction of these two vessels, many potential travellers had difficulty booking on the old "Spirit of Tasmania" due to capacity constraints. These new vessels have removed the bottleneck for tourists trying to reach the state and their unhindered access has resulted in a thriving tourism industry.
Spirit of Tasmania III (2004-2006)
The fourth ship, Spirit of Tasmania III, began service in 2004. She is also a Superfast ferry, formerly called Superfast II she was built for Superfast Ferries atSchichau Seebeckwerft AG, Bremerhaven in 1995 for the Adriatic sea route Patras – Ancona. She is a slightly smaller ship than the other two ferries in service that travelled a new route, the Devonport-Sydney route. It made a one-way trip each day, taking approximately 22 hours.
On July 11 2006, Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon announced that the Spirit of Tasmania III was sold to Mediterranean operator Corsica Ferries for €65 million (A$111 million). The ship left on its final voyage on 27 August 2006. The ship has been renamed be re-named Mega Express Four.
Notes
- "Tassie scraps Sydney to Devonport ferry". The Age. 2006-05-05. Retrieved 2007-01-14.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "Corsica snaps up Spirit of Tasmania III". Direct Ferries. 2006-07-17. Retrieved 2007-01-14.
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