One of the brand new Spirit of Tasmania ships will be temporarily relocated to a shipyard in Scotland for an unknown amount of time as ferry operator TT-Line explores options to lease out the vessel.
The first of the larger Bass Strait ferries was due to arrive in Tasmania at the end of this year, but the berth in Devonport will not be ready until February 2027.
The funnel of a new Spirit of Tasmania ferry is lifted by cranes into place at the shipyard of Rauma Marine Constructions in May. (Rauma Marine Constructions)
The ships are being built in Rauma, Finland. However, the ship's operator said in a statement Spirit of Tasmania IV would need to leave the country before icy conditions set in at the end of November.
Leith port in Edinburgh, Scotland, was identified as the most cost effective and climate-suitable location to store the new Spirit of Tasmania vessels for two years. (Supplied: Forth Ports)
Spirit of Tasmania chief executive Bernard Dwyer said the "ice pack conditions posed potential operational risks" for Spirit of Tasmania IV.
"To ensure the vessel's safety and preservation, we will temporarily relocate it to Leith, Scotland, where conditions are more suitable," he said.
"This move is necessary as the vessel is not designed for the extremely low ambient temperatures anticipated in Rauma."
It is unknown how long Spirit of Tasmania IV will stay in Scotland.
The ships will undergo a final fit out in Tasmania.
Mr Dwyer said TT-Line was continuing to explore options to lease or charter the vessel.
He said construction of Spirit V would continue as planned and would be not be affected by the icy conditions because it was yet to undertake a sea trial and its engine had not been commissioned.
New Spirit of Tasmania V and IV ferries in shipyard of Rauma Marine Constructions, Finland, September 2024. (Rauma Marine Constructions)
Spirit of Tasmania IV. A computer-generated image of what the ship will look like on the water. (Supplied: Rauma Marine Constructions)
The new ships have been described as a "game changer" for Tasmania's tourism industry, with them boasting 40 per cent more freight- and passenger-carrying capacity.
But construction delays and cost blowouts, as well as the delayed construction of a deeper berth the new ships require, has resulted in the Tasmanian government being heavily criticised over its handling of the rollout, with the minister overseeing the infrastructure portfolio resigning.
It was revealed days ago that the berth — that was supposed to be built by August 2024 — would not be completed until October 2026 at best. It is more likely to be finished in February 2027.
This means Tasmania will not have its new ships in full service for years they would not be able to use the existing, shallower berth unless they operated at lesser capacity.
The upgrades to 3 East Berth for the new Spirit ferries has also been delayed, adding to the government's headaches. (Supplied: TasPorts)
The Tasmanian government has said it is open to leasing the ships out to recoup expenses, with that not being TT-Line's preferred option.
The saga has embroiled the ferry operator as well as the state-owned port operator, Tasports, which have all fronted a parliamentary committee tasked with finding out what has gone wrong.