The new Spirit of Tasmania ferries are finally sailing from Geelong: what's different, what went wrong, and what it means if you're crossing Bass Strait

By The Rundowns News Desk · Published 1 November 2026

After nine years of delays, contract collapses and a berth that wasn't ready, the two new Spirit of Tasmania ferries are finally in service. Spirit of Tasmania V left Geelong at 6:45pm on Saturday 31 October and arrived in Devonport at 6:19am on Sunday, while its sister ship Spirit IV made the opposite crossing the same night (ABC News, GeelongPort). Here's what's different on board, why the project became one of Tasmania's biggest infrastructure controversies, and what it means for Victorians heading across Bass Strait this summer.

What happened this weekend

Both new ships made their first ticketed passenger sailings on Saturday night. Spirit V sailed from Geelong and Spirit IV from Devonport, and the two passed each other mid-strait overnight (GeelongPort, AAP). ABC reporters on board described calm seas for the maiden crossing.

"We've stayed the course, and we've got it done," Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff told the ABC. Devonport Mayor Alison Jarman likened the Spirit of Tasmania brand to the Sydney Opera House, and Finland's ambassador to Australia, Arto Haapea, called it "a historic moment" (ABC News). The ships were built in Finland by Rauma Marine Constructions.

What's different about the new ships

Spirit IV and V replace Spirit of Tasmania I and II, which the ABC says are 28 years old and have been running the Bass Strait route since 2002 (ABC News).

• More passengers. Spirit of Tasmania says each sailing can carry an extra 470 passengers (Spirit of Tasmania). The ABC and AAP round this to about 400 more.
• More vehicles. There's about 60% more vehicle space, according to both the ABC and AAP.
• Far more caravans and motorhomes. Both the operator and GeelongPort say there's more than three times the caravan capacity of the old ships. For anyone who has tried to book a caravan across in peak season, this is the big one.
• 301 cabins, including accessible cabins and pet-friendly cabins. The ABC reports there are 18 pet-friendly cabins (GeelongPort, ABC News).
• New facilities on board, including a gaming zone and a movie theatre, according to AAP.

The Geelong angle

The Victorian terminal has been at Geelong since 23 October 2022, when the service moved from Station Pier in Port Melbourne after 37 years (Spirit of Tasmania). GeelongPort says its purpose-built tri-level loading ramp, designed with the new vessels in mind, is now operating at full capability for the first time. CEO Brett Winter called it "an exciting new chapter" for Geelong's role as a gateway between Victoria and Tasmania (GeelongPort).

In practical terms, more capacity out of Geelong should mean more room for Victorian holidaymakers, caravanners and freight on the overnight crossing. How much easier summer bookings actually get will depend on demand and the timetable.

Why the project became a saga

The timeline below draws on reporting by the ABC and AAP and on the Tasmanian Parliament's Public Accounts Committee.

• 2017: The Tasmanian Government announced new ferries for 2021.
• 2018 to 2020: TT-Line, the state-owned operator, signed a $714 million deal with German shipbuilder FSG. The contract was cancelled in early 2020 because of FSG's finances.
• 2020 to 2021: A deal with Finland's Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) was pulled at the last minute while a taskforce looked at building the ships in Australia. That failed, and the government went back to RMC, by which time the original construction slot was gone.
• During construction: RMC ran into financial trouble during global inflation, and TT-Line paid it an extra $81 million to finish the ships (ABC News).
• 2024: The new Berth 3 at Devonport had been due by August 2024 at a cost of $90 million. In June 2024 TT-Line revealed the cost had blown out to $375 million and the berth might not be ready until February 2027. Construction hadn't even started. With nowhere to berth, one new ship was stored in Scotland after a failed bid to lease it out (AAP).
• Political fallout: The Public Accounts Committee records that TT-Line chair Michael Grainger resigned in August 2024, and that Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson resigned from the portfolio and later from Cabinet (Tasmanian Parliament PAC interim report). The committee described "governance failures, and inadequate oversight".
• 2026: The berth was finished in time for the 31 October start, but at a final budget of $493 million (ABC News).

What it cost

• The whole project is about $717 million over its original forecast, according to the ABC and AAP. The ABC's May analysis said that included about $280 million extra on the two vessels and $403 million more on the Devonport berth and terminal.
• AAP reports TT-Line received a $506 million taxpayer bailout in 2026.
• TT-Line's debt is forecast to peak at $1.1 billion this financial year, and the company is projected to stay in debt until at least 2052 (ABC, AAP). AAP reports the Premier said he was comfortable with those figures to deliver "generational infrastructure".
• The ships are running about five years later than first promised. In 2020, economist Saul Eslake estimated Tasmania could lose $350 million a year while the new ships weren't operating (cited by the ABC). That was an estimate, not a measured loss.

What it means if you're travelling

• Taking a caravan or motorhome? Peak-season space should be much easier to find than in past summers, though popular dates will still fill up. Check availability on the Spirit of Tasmania website.
• Travelling with a pet? Pet-friendly cabins are new, but there are only 18 of them, so book early.
• Departing Victoria? Sailings still leave from the Geelong terminal, not Port Melbourne.
• Freight and producers: The extra vehicle and freight space is aimed at tourism and trade on both sides of the strait. Tourism Industry Council Tasmania CEO Amy Hills told the ABC the industry was "excited" and "relieved".

What's next

• The old Spirit of Tasmania I and II are being stored until they're sold. AAP reports TT-Line is in advanced negotiations with a buyer. Until then, the ABC says Tasmanian taxpayers are covering the storage costs.
• The Public Accounts Committee has said a further report on the project's governance and costs is still to come.
• The real test is the first full summer peak season. We'll update this post if there are significant service problems, a sale of the old ships, or new cost figures.

Figures are as reported by the cited outlets and organisations as of 1 November 2026. Check sailing times, fares and capacity directly with Spirit of Tasmania before booking.