TT Line and the Spirit of Tasmania ferries are delivering record freight volumes, record passenger numbers and economic growth and jobs for our state.
This is a commitment that has been delivered by the Hodgman majority Liberal Government as we take tourism and economic growth to the next level.
The Spirit of Tasmania ferries carried a record 448,764 passengers for 2017-18, which is three per cent more than the previous year.
We know that visitors who come to Tasmania on the Spirits stay longer, spend more, and look for unique experiences in regional areas which spreads the economic benefits right across the state.
Some of the highlights for 2017-18 included:
- Sailings increasing by 3 per cent to 859, the highest number of day sailings since 2004 when the company was operating three vessels.
- Record freight volumes for the second year in a row, with 105,208 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) containers shipped compared to 103,430 in 2016-17.
- Record revenue of $244.6 million, a 30 per cent increase since 2012-13; and a pre-tax profit of $63.4 million.
- Nearly 70 per cent of passengers were from mainland Australia and nearly 90 per cent travelled with a vehicle.
Due to the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s strong financial management we will also be delivering two new, next generation Spirit of Tasmania ferries earlier than expected.
These ferries will be the biggest ever infrastructure investment by a Tasmanian Government and are on track to be delivered in the summer of 2021. They will be 30 per cent larger than the current Spirits, with an even bigger increase in passenger and freight capacity.
Congratulations to the TT Line board, executive team and employees on another impressive year and I look forward to more positive results as we deliver on our plan to improve the lives of every Tasmanian.
