12 December 2022
Finnish ship builder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) and Spirit of Tasmania has announced two new Tasmanian contracts for the Spirit of Tasmania vessels.
Launceston businesses Vanquad Vending and Challis Water Systems & Maintenance are the latest two Tasmanian companies announced to be involved in the fit out of the two new ships.
Both businesses will also provide maintenance services when the ships start perating on Bass Strait.
Vanquad will be supplying the arcade games to be installed in the Teen Lounge while Challis Waters Systems will supply water filling stations for the new ships.
Vanquad Vending Managing Director John Van Asperen said securing a job of this scale and importance was very exciting for the business.
“For someone who has lived in Tasmania all my life, these are our ships, and I feel very proud that Tasmanian businesses are supplying them,” he said.
Mr Van Asperen said this was Vanquad Vending’s first long-term contract of this size.
“The Teen Lounge will be fitted out with the latest and best games on the market and will be wheelchair accessible,” he said.
“It is quite clear to business here that Tasmania can compete with interstate competitors, and I thank TT-line for giving everyone in Tasmania the opportunity to be involved.
“Throwing our hat in the ring was daunting, but from the very beginning Spirit of Tasmania has made the whole process very personal.
“The company made multiple efforts to come and see our business and worked closely with us to make the whole project come to life.”
Challis Water Systems & Maintenance owner Matt Challis said his business would install 10 water refilling stations on each vessel.
“We support as many local business and suppliers are we can, and we think it is great that ‘sourcing locally’ is being emphasised on this project,” he said.
“To have TT-Line utilising local materials and services is a great thing and I hope to see other big businesses following its lead.
“Securing a job of this size is reassuring and shows big businesses can look locally for large scale initiatives.”
RMC formally started construction of Spirit of Tasmania IV earlier this year when the first steel was cut at a traditional ceremony at the RMC facility in Finland.
While the new ships will be a similar design to the current Spirit of Tasmania vessels, they will feature substantially larger capacity for passengers, passenger vehicles and freight.
