Spirit of Tasmania II at port in Devonport, Tasmania |
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| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | 1998—2002: Superfast III 2002—present: Spirit of Tasmania II |
| Owner: |
1998—2002: Superfast Ferries |
| Operator: | 1998—2002: Superfast Ferries 2003—2006: TT-Line Pty. Ltd.[1] |
| Port of registry: | 1998—2002: Patras, Greece 2002 onwards: Devonport, Australia |
| Route: | 2002 onwards: Melbourne-Devonport |
| Builder: | Kvaerner Masa-Yards Turku |
| Yard number: | 1340[1] |
| Identification: | IMO number: 9158434 [1] |
| Status: | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Superfast III class fast ropax ferry |
| Tonnage: | 29.067 GT (gross tonnage)[2] |
| Displacement: | 5,650 metric tons deadweight (DWT) |
| Length: | 194.3 m (637 ft 6 in) |
| Beam: | 25.00 m (82 ft) |
| Draught: | 6.55 m (21 ft 6 in) |
| Installed power: | 4 × Wärtsilä-NSD 16ZA40S diesels 42240 kW |
| Speed: | 30.8 kn (57.04 km/h) maximum speed |
| Capacity: | 1400 passengers 750 berths 1000 cars 1852 lanemeters |
MS Spirit of Tasmania II is a super fast ropax ferry owned by TT-Line Pty. Ltd. and operated on the route from Melbourne and Devonport. She was built in 1998 by Kvaerner Masa-Yards Turku in Finland for Superfast Ferries as MS Superfast III. From 2002 onwards she sails for TT-Line Pty. Ltd. as MS Spirit of Tasmania II.
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The Superfast III was the first ship of the second pair (the former pair being Superfast I and Superfast II built in Germany) built for Attica Group's subsidiary Superfast Ferries at Kvaerner Masa-Yards for their Adriatic Sea services from Patras to Ancona. She was a sister ship of MS Superfast IV.[1]
The Superfast III entered service on 16 March 1998 on Superfast Ferries' Patras—Ancona route.[1] On 1 Nov 1999 on 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[3].
The ship arrived back in Patras the day after the disaster, and investigations began. 14 dead bodies were found in a truck.[4] These bodies were later identified as refugees from Kurdistan.[4] 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.[5] The cost to the underwriter (Attica Enterprises) was US$26 million.[4] On 3 March she arrived back in Greece and once again operated on the Patras - Ancona route. In March 2002 the Superfast III was sold to TT-Line Pty. Ltd..[1]
TT-Line took over their new ship on 10 May 2002[1]. Along with her sister ship Superfast IV, she was handed over to TT-Line Pty. Ltd. at Patras.[4] The two ships then sailed to the Neorion ship yard on the island of Syros. During the ships 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.[1] 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—Devonport route.[1]
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