Spirit of Tasmania Chief Executive Peter Simmons said the decision to operate the vessel was made after extensive research revealed a Sydney service was regarded as �overwhelmingly appealing�.

�As was the case when Spirit of Tasmania I and II were introduced on Bass Strait, a new Spirit service out of Sydney has the potential to trigger a further growth cycle in tourist numbers to Tasmania and consequential employment,� he said.

�The research found that such a service would result in an additional 51,000 holiday visitors to Tasmania annually.�

Mr Simmons said the Devonport to Sydney journey would take Spirit III approximately 20 hours to complete.

�The vessel will depart Sydney on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays and Devonport on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 3pm, arriving 11.30am the following day,� he said.

Devonport will be the vessel�s home port.

Constructed in Germany in 1995, the 173.7 metre long vessel, the Attica Enterprise-owned Superfast II, is capable of speeds of 26 knots and can transport up to 1,400 passengers and features 2,135 lane metres for the transportation of passenger vehicles and freight.

The vessel currently operates a passenger, passenger vehicle and freight service between Patras and Igoumenitsa in Greece and Bari in Italy.

The project, including purchase price, will cost $AUD105 million.

Mr Simmons said while internal refurbishments were undertaken on board the vessel during the past 12 months, further works would be undertaken prior to the service commencing.

Like Spirit of Tasmania I and II, the new Spirit will offer a variety of accommodation options from two, three and four berth cabins, to hostel beds for the budget conscious traveller.

Ship facilities will include a restaurant, bars (internal and external) and coffee shop, Tasmania Information Kiosk, poker machine room, children�s playroom, reading / games room.

Adult fares, which include dinner and brunch, for a three and four berth inside cabin, will start at $400 per person in the shoulder season (15 January 2004 � 26 April 2004) and $360 during the off-peak season (27 April 2004 � 30 June 2004).

Pensioner fares for the same cabin will be $300 per person and $270 per person while children fares will be $204 per person and $184 per person respectively.

Peak season fares for a three and four-berth inside cabin will start at $475 per person.

Standard cars will travel for free 45 weeks of the year.

The vessel is expected to arrive in Australia in early October and commence service on 15 January 2004.