 | |
 | |
| Company type | Government Business Enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transport |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Headquarters | Devonport, Tasmania, Australia Geelong, Victoria, Australia |
Key people | Michael Ferguson (Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Bernard Dwyer (CEO) Michael Grainger (Chairman) |
| Products | Ferries, passenger transportation, freight transportation, holidays, business travel |
| Revenue |  A$244.6 million (June 2018) |
| A$44.4 million (June 2018) | |
Number of employees | 500+ |
| Parent | Government of Tasmania |
| Website | www.spiritoftasmania.com.au/ |
TT-Line Company Pty Ltd, trading as Spirit of Tasmania,[1] is a Tasmanian Government-owned business that has been offering ferry services between mainland Australia and Tasmania since July 1993. Navigating the Bass Strait, Spirit of Tasmania ferry services cover a distance of 242 nautical miles (448 km; 278 mi) between Geelong, Victoria and Devonport, Tasmania. Each journey across the "Sea Highway" takes approximately 9–11 hours in both directions.
Currently, the TT-Line Company's fleet includes two Finnish-built vessels: MS Spirit of Tasmania I and MS Spirit of Tasmania II. These ships are expected to be replaced by MS Spirit of Tasmania IV and MS Spirit of Tasmania V in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Between 2003 and 2006, Spirit of Tasmania operated a service between Sydney and Devonport using the former MS Spirit of Tasmania III.
In addition to passenger services, Spirit of Tasmania provides sea freight and roll on/roll off (RORO) transport for vehicles, making it a crucial link between Tasmania and the mainland. Since 1996, fares have been subsidised through the Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme, which aims to make ferry travel more affordable for passengers and promote economic activity between the regions.
The company, wholly owned by the Government of Tasmania, was initially a part of the Tasmanian Government's Department of Transport. It became a government business enterprise in 1993, adopting the name Spirit of Tasmania in August of that year. Since then, Spirit of Tasmania has become an iconic service, known for its reliability and vital role in connecting Tasmania with the rest of Australia.
- ^ TT Line Company Pty Ltd Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Australian Securities & Investments Commission