Spirit Of Tasmania III One Sail Away From Sydney

Spirit of Tasmania III arrived into Hobart early this morning (Thursday 30 October) after much anticipation.

The vessel, which is the latest addition to the Spirit of Tasmania fleet, arrived at Macquarie No 6 wharf, Hobart after refueling last week in Fremantle.

Its journey began 10 October from the island of Syros in Greece, traveling through the Suez Canal, and on to Fremantle before finally heading to Tasmania.

Captain Glenn Cole, who skippered Spirit of Tasmania III on its voyage, said the ship handled the long journey �beautifully�.

Captain Cole, who has been a Captain on Spirit of Tasmania I and II for the past year, said the ship was �first-class�.

�Like Spirits I and II, her stability, power and maneuverability are excellent,� he said, �Which is to be expected as she is built similarly to the other two and comes from the same fleet.

�Her speed, structure and luxury makes this vessel ideal for operating across Bass Strait and along the East Coast,� added Captain Cole.

�Passengers will be very pleased with the comfort onboard.�

Spirit of Tasmania Chief Executive Peter Simmons said the introduction of the new Spirit of Tasmania III on 13 January 2004, which will travel between Sydney and Devonport, would build on the renewed interest in sea travel and Tasmania as a holiday destination, bringing in up to 70,000 additional visitors annually.

�The ship will open up access between New South Wales and Tasmania and create significant benefits for Tasmania�s tourist industry that will flow right through the state�s economy,� he said.

Mr Simmons said under the new Spirit of Tasmania III service, the ship will depart Devonport or Sydney at 3pm and arrive into the opposite port at 11.30am the next morning. It will depart out of both cities three times a week, traveling six legs in one week.

�As a result, passengers won�t have to book so far in advance to enjoy a mini-cruise experience between New South Wales and Tasmania,� said Mr Simmons.

�In addition, standard cars will travel free for 45 weeks a year so that passengers can take more luggage and enjoy a driving holiday, which is great value for our customers.�

For further information and interviews contact:

Ms Simone Ferrier, Manager Corporate Communications Tel: 03 9206 6220 / 0417 540 583 Ms Christina Koullas, Corporate Communications Coordinator Tel: 03 9206 6220 / 0438 393 898