TT-LINE REVERTS TO RMC FOR ROPAX CONTRACT

The agreement of a memorandum of understanding between Tasmanian Government-owned TT-Line and RMC on Wednesday 14 April was swiftly followed by the (virtual) signature of a contract between the two parties the next day.

The two 48,000gt car and passenger ferries retain the original capacity of 1,800 passengers and 600 vehicles. The two vessels have been nominated with LNG dual-fuel propulsion.

Construction of the two newbuildings is expected to begin in spring 2022, and will take place alongside the construction of four multi-purpose corvettes for the Finnish Defence Forces. The first newbuilding is slated for delivery by the end of 2023 while the second will be delivered by the end of 2024.

The project itself has been subject to repeated delays. RMC initially signed an MoU with TT-Line in early 2020, following the cancellation of an order with German shipyard FSG that had been placed in May 2018. The first MoU between RMC and TT-Line was cancelled in mid-2020.

In addition to the TT-Line vessel project, RMC has two civilian vessel projects underway: a car and passenger ferry Aurora Botnia for Finnish shipping company Wasaline and a car and passenger ferry MyStar for Estonian shipping company Tallink. RMC is also constructing four multi-purpose corvettes for the Finnish Defence Forces.

RMC said that the TT-Line project would have an employment value totalling around 3,500 person-years and would increase the privately-held company’s order book to EUR1.6bn.

Once completed, the vessels will operate on the Geelong–Devonport route running between mainland Australia and Tasmania, replacing two Finnish-built car and passenger ferries.