More delays at the German shipyard chosen to build the new Spirit of Tasmania ferries have cast further doubt on when they will be delivered.
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Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft was about seven months late in handing over the W.B. Yeats to Irish Ferries and now another European line has revealed its order will likely be even later.
The Hodgman government and the state-owned TT-Line, meanwhile, have again failed to provide an update on progress on Tasmania's largest infrastructure project.
When work began in March 2018, the Honfleur was supposed to be delivered to Brittany Ferries in June 2019. The problems experienced by FSG in completing the W.B. Yeats, however, saw the delivery date pushed back to December.
MORE ON THE NEW SPIRIT OF TASMANIA VESSELS:
- Reports of financial difficulty for German shipyards building new Spirit of Tasmania vessels
- No timetable confirmed for delivery of new vessels
- Government's 'hands-off' approach to TT-line ship deal criticised
- Premier urged to meet with 'troubled' shipbuilder
- Tasmanians 'in the dark' about deliver of new Spirit of Tasmania vessels
Asked for an update this week, Brittany Ferries said: "We hope she's going to be delivered to us this summer." If delivered in June - the beginning of the northern summer - that would make the Honfleur 12 months late.
There is also more uncertainty surrounding Irish Ferries' order for another ship, which is meant to precede the first of the new Spirits on FSG's construction line and be delivered late this year.
Irish Ferries refused to comment when asked if it was continuing with that order and, if so, what progress had been made. However, a live webcam on FSG's website shows its shipbuilding hall is empty.
If that order - known by its yard number FSG 777 - is cancelled, it would allow the new Spirits to be moved up the shipbuilder's schedule.
Yet, given the lengthy delays and the lack of an update on design work, even this may not see Tasmania's new Bass Strait ferries delivered in 2021, as promised.
Both the government and TT-Line were asked to confirm when the ships' design would be finalised, when the first steel would be cut and when they last received advice from FSG on the progress of the ships. Neither answered those questions.
A TT-Line spokesperson said the company was in close discussions with FSG.
"The company has solid contracts in place with the shipbuilder to build the new Spirit of Tasmania vessels," the spokesperson said.
A government spokesperson said the government continued to receive regular updates from TT-Line.
Labor's Shane Broad pointed to the fact no funds were allocated in the current state budget for the replacement of the Spirits as further evidence of likely significant delays.
"The government has repeatedly ducked and weaved on this issue, failing to confirm what is blindingly obvious - the new Spirits of Tasmania will not be delivered on schedule," Dr Broad said.
