‘I want to thank our client for their excellent co-operation, which has enabled us to bring this project to its successful completion. I would also like to thank our partners and the classification society. This vessel is a fine example of the strong shipbuilding expertise in Rauma. We have now built the world’s southernmost LNG ro-pax ferry as well as the world’s northernmost LNG ro-pax ferry, namely AURORA BOTNIA. We wish SPIRIT OF TASMANIA IV all the best on its journeys’, says Mika Nieminen, CEO and President of Rauma Marine Constructions.

The ro-paxes will operate between Geelong and Devonport on Australia’s Bass Strait, a route known for its challenging sea conditions, for which these vessels have been specially built. The ships will replace the two sister ships, SPIRIT OF TASMANIA I and II, built in Finland in the 1990s. The passenger, vehicle and freight capacity of the new vessels is significantly greater than that of its predecessors.

The shipyard’s current order book extends to 2028

Alongside the TT-Line vessels, construction on the first multi-purpose corvette for the Finnish Navy began last autumn in the company’s dedicated multi-purpose hall. The combined employment impact of the projects is more than 7,000 person-years. RMC’s current order book extends to 2028.

RMC is building a new industrial approach to operating that will strengthen the company’s competitiveness and profitability. In addition to expertise, RMC, together with the strong support of the local community has invested in independent steel production, a new multi-purpose hall for Government vessels and a heavy transfer ramp for the shipyard.

Key dimensions of the SPIRIT OF TASMANIA IV:

Length: 212 m
Beam: 31 m
Draught: 7 m
Gross tonnage: 48,000 t
Speed: 26 knots (48 km/h)
Lane metres: 3,700 m
Passengers: 1,800
Cabins: 301

© Shippax