Spirit Quay opens in Devonport for the new Bass Strait ferries

Shippax reported on 26 October 2026 that Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Kerry Vincent officially opened Spirit Quay, the new berth for Spirit of Tasmania IV and V at East Devonport, on 22 October. The two new RoPax ships are running in freight-only mode across the Bass Strait until 31 October, when they make their first passenger crossings, Spirit of Tasmania IV from Geelong and Spirit of Tasmania V from Devonport. The new ships can carry up to 470 more passengers per sailing than the old ones, and have more freight capacity and more than three times the caravan capacity.

The centrepiece of the berth is a 740-tonne gantry, 27 metres high and 38 metres wide, which supports four steel ramps connecting the shore ramp to the ships for vehicle loading. It was built by BMD Constructions, which also built the Spirit of Tasmania facility in Geelong, together with Fitzgerald Constructions Australia and the Tasmanian companies Bridgepro Engineering, Gradco and Vos Constructions. According to the Tasmanian Government, local partners carried out more than half of the berth construction.

Spirit of Tasmania I left Devonport for the last time on 22 October and Spirit of Tasmania II on 23 October. Spirit of Tasmania I has been laid up at Williamstown. Spirit of Tasmania II left the berth in Geelong around midday on Saturday 24 October to make way for Spirit of Tasmania V, and is laid up at Station Pier in Melbourne.