Friday 16 October 2026
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No buyer yet for Spirit of Tasmania's old ferries as final voyage nears

TT-Line confirms Spirit I and II will stop sailing on October 24, but where the ships will be stored remains unclear

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources2 outlets
The two current Spirit of Tasmania ferries are a week out from their final voyage between Devonport and Geelong, with no confirmed buyer for the nearly 25-year-old vessels and no answer on where they will be moored if they are not sold before the new ships begin operating.

State-owned operator TT-Line has confirmed Spirit I and II will stop sailing from October 24 and says a sale process has been underway for some time. Chief executive Chris Carbone said there was "interest in the ships", but ruled out the vessels being moored in Tasmania.

"Depending on when the ships are sold will determine where they are stored, there are no berths in Tasmania," Mr Carbone said.

TT-Line would not say where the ferries would be moored or what this would cost if they remained unsold when the new Spirit IV and V began operating. The two new ferries have been moored in Geelong, a cost the company has previously put at between $600,000 a month in Scotland and $900,000 a month in Geelong.

Earlier this year, a parliamentary inquiry heard the total cost of the new ferries was more than $700 million above forecast, a figure that did not include the cost of berthing them in Scotland and Victoria while a new deeper water berth was built at Devonport. The same committee heard TT-Line was expected to remain in debt until 2052.

The Tasmanian government has expressed confidence a deal will be secured to sell the decommissioned ships. Labor infrastructure spokesperson Anita Dow questioned whether the sale was progressing.

"They've said they've got interest from buyers in acquiring those old vessels, but they've gone quiet for some time now about whether there's actually been a successful follow-through," she said.

"The government should be providing regular updates to the community about this process, about what these plans are for the old ships. That's only fair and reasonable given the amount of public money that's involved."

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • Millions of dollars in public money are tied up in the ferry fleet, and every month the old ships stay idle adds storage costs at a time when TT-Line is already expected to carry debt until 2052.
  • The October 24 final voyage ends an era for a service that is the main transport link between Tasmania and the mainland, and the transition to the new, larger vessels will shape the route for decades.
  • The lack of a confirmed buyer raises the risk that the old ferries become a long-term, costly liability rather than a recovered asset.

Background

TT-Line is Tasmania's state-owned ferry operator, running the Bass Strait service between Devonport and Geelong. The two current vessels, Spirit I and II, have been in service for nearly 25 years and are being replaced by two new, larger ships. Those new ferries were built overseas and have been moored in Geelong while a deeper berth is constructed at Devonport. The project has already drawn scrutiny over cost blowouts and ongoing debt.

Key Perspectives

TT-Line: The company says a sale process is active and there is buyer interest, but the storage location depends on timing. It has ruled out berths in Tasmania, where no space is available. Tasmanian government: It has expressed confidence that a deal to sell the soon-to-be decommissioned ships will be secured. Labor: Anita Dow argues the process has "gone quiet" and that the community deserves regular updates, given the scale of public money involved. Critics and skeptics: Parliamentary scrutiny has highlighted costs more than $700 million above forecast, monthly mooring fees of up to $900,000, and a debt outlook stretching to 2052, raising questions about how much further the project will strain the state budget.

What to Watch

  • The October 24 final voyage, and whether a sale or storage plan is announced before the ships leave Devonport.
  • Any update from TT-Line on the number or identity of prospective buyers and the expected timing of a deal.
  • Disclosure of total mooring and storage costs, and whether the new ferries begin service without the old fleet having been sold.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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