New Spirits delivering extra capacity and state of the art design features

12 April 2023

Released by: Michael Ferguson, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport

The Rockliff Liberal Government is getting things done by delivering the infrastructure out growing State needs.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Michael Ferguson, said he was very pleased to see Spirit of Tasmania’s new comparison video showing exactly just how much larger the new ships will be than the current ships.

“The new vessels will have a much greater capacity for passengers, passenger vehicles, and freight, he said.

“Demand for our service remains high and is continuing to grow. These new vessels will go a long way to meeting the needs of our passengers and clients, particularly those wishing to travel with high vehicles on board.”

The vessels have an increased capacity for passengers from 1400 to 1800 and the number of cabins increasing from 222 to 301, but perhaps the most significant difference is the 59.8 per cent increase in vehicle lanes for passengers and freight vehicles. Unlike the current ships, all vehicle lanes will have extra height and will fit caravans and campervans.

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Bernard Dwyer said these new ships will be a game changer for Tasmania. The increased size of the vessels is impressive and will allow us to accommodate many more passengers and vehicles on every journey.

“We’re incredibly excited about these new ships and not just about the increased size but also the quality and design of the build and the new amenities that we’ll have on board for passengers to enjoy,” Mr Dwyer said.

“We’ll be sharing all of these details as the project progresses.”

Watch the Existing vs New Fleet Size Comparison video:

Stay up to date with latest information about the New ships.