Yards
RMC shipyard soon to deliver two new ferries to Australia
On the west coast of Finland, the Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) shipyard is in the process of building two identical car and passenger ferries for the TT-Line Company in Australia. The first one
is nearing completion. The construction of the two vessels – M/S Spirit of Tasmania IV and V – has created a total of some 3,500 person-years’ worth of employment at the Rauma shipyard between
2021 and 2024.
The two new car and passenger ferries
will replace two older ships in the
same fleet: the Spirit of Tasmania I and
Spirit of Tasmania II. Both of these were
also built by RMC shipyard in Finland.
Before the Spirit of Tasmania ferries,
RMC has built several technologically
advanced commercial vessels. In
2022, RMC delivered to Tallink Silja line the
energy-efficient car and passenger ferry
MyStar that operates the route between
Tallinn (Estonia) and Helsinki. In 2021,
RMC completed Wasaline’s car and passenger
ferry Aurora Botnia that has won
international awards for its top-notch sustainability.
Currently, along with the two Spirit
of Tasmania ferries, RMC is in the process
of constructing the first multi-role corvettes
for the Finnish Navy. The shipbuilding
for the first of these was started on
30 October, 2023. The project consists of
four vessels and will be continued until
the year 2029.
CEO and President of the RMC shipyard,
Mika Nieminen.
BOTH SHIPS
EQUIPPED WITH
FOUR ENGINES
The new Spirit of Tasmania ships have a
gross tonnage of 48,000. The ships have
a length of 212 metres and a width of
31 metres.
Each ship is equipped with four
Wärtsilä 9 cylinder turbocharge dual-fuel
engines, operating on LNG and diesel fuel.
These engines produce 10,305 kilowatts
(kW) of power each. The ships’ propellers
are twin-variable pitch propellers. Average
speed will be 26 knots.
Both new vessels have a capacity of 1
800 passengers. Each vessel features 301
new cabins, 118 standard recliners and 47
business recliners.
Shipbuilding work for the Spirit of
Tasmania IV was started on 28 February,
2022.
Later on, the keel laying of this ship
was celebrated at Rauma shipyard in October
2022.
The keel laying ceremony for Spirit of Tasmania V took place at the RMC shipyard on May 17, 2023.
M/S SPIRIT OF TASMANIA V
ALSO UNDER CONSTRUCTION
The production of the vessel’s sister ship,
Spirit of Tasmania V, was celebrated with
a traditional steel cutting ceremony in
December 2022.
Another milestone was reached
when the keel laying ceremony for Spirit
of Tasmania V took place at the RMC shipyard
on May 17, 2023.
In a long-standing shipbuilding tradition,
recently minted 2023 Australian
and Finnish coins were placed in the keel
before the first block was lowered into
position. The coins symbolise good fortune
for the builders and all those who will
sail on the vessel. Eventually, the Spirit of
Tasmania V is scheduled to be completed
by the end of 2024.
HEADING FOR THE BASS STRAIT
Near the end of last year, on 27 October
2023, Rauma shipyard celebrated the
launch and christening ceremony of the
ferry Spirit of Tasmania IV, the first of two
identical car and passenger ferries that are
now under construction.
”We at Rauma work every day to
enhance our expertise in shipbuilding,
striving to become stronger and more
modern”, Mr. Mika Nieminen – CEO and
President of the RMC shipyard – noted at
the ceremony.
Once in operation, the new vessels
will sail on a challenging route across the
Bass Strait between Geelong, Victoria,
and Devonport, Tasmania. The distance
between Geelong and Devonport is 448
km, or 242 nautical miles. The ferries have
been specially designed for this route.
TT-Line Company is a significant
player in maritime transport between
mainland Australia and Tasmania, and the
shipbuilding project is the largest individual
foreign sale between Australia and Finland.
The TT-Line employs over 600 people
and transports over 450,000 passengers
annually. Spirit of Tasmania is widely recognised
for its contribution to the Australian
tourism industry and for fostering
economic development by providing
world-class passenger and freight services.
After the launch, the work was
shifted from hull construction to equipment
assembly and interior work, with the
focus on finishing plumbing and electrics
as well as interior design for the hotel area.
Furthermore, the work around the vessel’s
engine room and car deck was continued.
The equipment assembly phase continued
with the implementation of various systems,
culminating in sea trials.
INNOVATIONS FOR FIRE SAFETY
The new Spirit of Tasmania vessels will be
the first ferries to operate in Australia featuring
Tasmanian-made marine fire safety
insulation material.
Designed and manufactured in
Hobart specifically for steel passenger vessels
by CBG Systems, the material lines the
walls of steel ships, protecting them in the
event of a fire. The new fire safety material
had been more than two years in the
making.
As a part of an international requirement
around ship safety, passenger ferries
must be lined with a passive fire protection
product. In the event of a fire, the
Rapid Access Composite system contains
the fire onboard the vessel for one hour,
allowing for the safe evacuation of passengers.
CBG Systems has worked alongside
the RMC shipyard to deliver the insulation
materials for the project.
FINAL TESTS
BEFORE COMPLETION
As the work has continued, the shipbuilding
for the Spirit of Tasmania IV is nearing
its final stages.
On 1st March 2024, the engines of
this ship were started for the very first time.
This was a pivotal moment in the construction
of the first of the two new ferries
at Rauma Marine Constructions shipyard.
The engine start signified the beginning
of comprehensive system testing
aboard the vessel. Each one of the four
dual-fuel main engines were started one
by one over the weeks that followed.
The engine start signified the beginning
of comprehensive system testing
aboard the vessel. Each one of the four
dual-fuel main engines were started one
by one over the weeks that followed.
by: ARI MONONEN
photos: RAUMA MARINE CONSTRUCTIONS
