The Spirit IV, which left Devonport the previous night, was due to dock in Geelong at 6am. Passenger Mitchell Bruce said an initial announcement delayed the arrival until 8am, before the captain informed passengers the harbour had prevented entry until 10.30am. The ferry was tracked making multiple turns outside Point Lonsdale before entering the bay, shadowed by a tugboat.
TT-Line said the ship's master identified a fault as it prepared to transit through Port Phillip Heads. Chief executive Chris Carbone said a tug escort was deemed appropriate and had to travel from Geelong, accounting for the delay. TT-Line has engaged technicians to diagnose the issue and apologised to passengers.
The new vessels, Spirit IV and V, have replaced the two older ships in TT-Line's fleet. One of those, Spirit I, suffered a navigational issue as it was about to enter the same bay last month, triggering an internal investigation. The broader ferry replacement program has been plagued by cost overruns and infrastructure delays; a parliamentary inquiry in May heard the capital program had cost $717 million more than originally expected. TT-Line is currently trying to sell the older ferries.
Separately, the ATSB is investigating a steering incident on Spirit V that occurred off Point Henry on October 26. The ship was under autopilot control with 94 crew and 20 passengers on board when it reached a channel junction. The ATSB said the autopilot responded slowly to a required starboard turn, causing a wider turn than expected. After settings were adjusted, the autopilot was unable to arrest the turn, and steering control was switched to manual. Subsequent attempts to control the ship's heading resulted in increasing oscillations, briefly moving the ship outside the shipping channel. “Steering control was then switched to manual, and port rudder applied to stop the turn,” the ATSB reported. The ship was brought to a stop before resuming its voyage. A final report is expected in the second quarter of 2027.