This week Geelong welcomes the next generation of Spirit of Tasmania vessels, with Spirit IV and Spirit V arriving at their new homes of Geelong and Devonport ahead of their first passenger sailings on Saturday 31 October.
The arrival of the new vessels marks an exciting milestone for Geelong and the enduring connection between Victoria and Tasmania.
Spirit IV and Spirit V are the newest additions to the Spirit of Tasmania fleet and will replace the existing vessels, bringing greater passenger, vehicle and freight capacity to the Bass Strait service. The vessels feature 301 cabins, including accessible and pet friendly cabins, and have more than three times the caravan capacity of the existing ships.
For GeelongPort, the arrival of the new vessels will bring another significant milestone, with the purpose-built tri-level loading ramp operating to its full capability for the first time. The ramp was designed specifically with the new Spirit vessels in mind and has been ready to support their arrival, marking the culmination of long-term planning and investment in infrastructure to support the future of the Geelong-Tasmania connection.
GeelongPort CEO Brett Winter said welcoming the new vessels would be a proud moment for the port and the wider Geelong community.
“Welcoming Spirit IV and Spirit V to Geelong marks an exciting new chapter in our partnership with Spirit of Tasmania and in Geelong’s role as a gateway between Victoria and Tasmania.
“Our team is incredibly proud of the role GeelongPort is playing in supporting these impressive new vessels. They will strengthen connections across Bass Strait and create new opportunities for tourism, trade and our regional economies.”
The ships will increase capacity across Bass Strait, supporting tourism as well as freight movements between Tasmania and mainland Australia.
The milestone builds on the relationship between GeelongPort and Spirit of Tasmania and reinforces Geelong’s position as an important gateway connecting Victoria and Tasmania.
The first ticketed passenger sailings of Spirit IV and Spirit V are scheduled for Saturday 31 October 2026, with Spirit V departing from Geelong and Spirit IV departing from Devonport. The vessels are set to pass each other midway across Bass Strait overnight on their inaugural passenger journeys.
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