TT-Line�s new Bass Strait passenger and passenger vehicle vessels, Spirit of Tasmania I and II, arrived in Tasmania today (29 July 2002).

The vessels arrived in Hobart after refuelling last week in Fremantle.

Their XX-day journey from the Island of Syros in Greece required the vessels to travel through the Suez Canal, across the Indian Ocean to Colombo and on to Fremantle before finally heading to Tasmania.

Captain Jim Lewis, who skippered Spirit of Tasmania II on its voyage, said the ship was the finest vessel he had commanded.

Captain Lewis, who has Captained all the Devil Cats and has been a Captain on the current Spirit of Tasmania for the past four-and-a-half-years, said these vessels were �first-class�.

�Their stability, power and manoeuvrability are excellent,� he said.

Captain Lewis said the vessels encountered similar weather conditions on the journey from Europe as those experienced on Bass Strait during the winter months.

�There is no doubt that these vessels are perfectly suited to operating on Bass Strait,� he said.

�The comfort of passengers on board will be second to none.�

TT-Line Chief Executive Peter Simmons said the introduction of the new Spirits on 1 September would herald a new era in Tasmanian tourism and trigger renewed interest in sea travel and Tasmania as a holiday destination.

�The ships will create significant benefits for Tasmania�s tourist industry that will flow right through the state�s economy,� he said.

�Constructed in Finland in 1998, the identical 194-metre-long vessels are bigger and faster than the current Spirit of Tasmania and have the potential to deliver an additional 77,000 mainland visitors to Tasmania annually.�

Mr Simmons said under the two vessel service, a ship will depart Devonport and Port Melbourne daily at 9pm and arrive the following morning at 7am.

�As a result, passengers will not need to book so far in advance to travel by sea on Bass Strait,� he said.

�In addition, during the peak summer season the vessels will operate two crossings per day and will depart at 9pm and arrive at 6am, before departing again at 9am and arriving at 6pm.�

A series of open days will be held in Hobart (11 August), Melbourne (17 and 18 August) and Devonport (25 August), which will give the public an opportunity for an onboard inspection.

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