The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating two separate steering incidents involving Spirit of Tasmania’s newly introduced ropax ferries, Spirit of Tasmania IV and Spirit of Tasmania V, which operate between Geelong, Victoria, and Devonport, Tasmania.
Following the incidents, operator TT-Line announced that both vessels would refrain from using their autopilot systems while transiting Port Phillip Bay. An inspection of Spirit of Tasmania IV after it docked in Geelong identified a fault involving the mechanical and electrical systems within the steering console.
The first incident occurred on October 24th, when Spirit of Tasmania V was conducting an operational voyage from Geelong to Devonport with 94 crew members, 20 passengers and freight vehicles on board. While navigating near Point Henry in Port Phillip Bay, the autopilot responded slowly to a starboard turn and subsequently failed to bring the vessel’s turn under control. The crew switched to manual steering, but further adjustments caused the ship’s heading to oscillate between port and starboard, briefly taking it beyond the charted shipping channel boundaries. The ferry was brought to a stop in the Wilson Spit Passing Channel before continuing its voyage.
The second incident involved Spirit of Tasmania IV on November 5th, while the vessel was approaching the Lonsdale pilot boarding ground on a voyage from Devonport to Geelong with passengers and vehicles. After the steering system was switched from autopilot to manual mode, the steering wheel failed to respond to helm commands. The crew initially used the emergency steering mode while engineers investigated the fault. The vessel then aborted its entry into Port Phillip Bay, before successfully transferring steering control to the bridge wing. It subsequently proceeded to Geelong, accompanied by an escort tug as a precaution.
Both ferries were built by Finland’s Rauma Marine Constructions and are designed to carry up to 1,800 passengers and 600 vehicles each. Their introduction is intended to increase capacity on the Bass Strait route.
The ATSB will collect evidence from both vessels, interview crew members and examine technical records, inspection reports and recorded data. A final investigation report is expected by mid-2027.