Spirit of Tasmania 1 - a platform of the IMOS Ships of Opportunity - Sensors on Temperate Merchant Vessels Sub-Facility

Updated: 2025-12-04

The Spirit of Tasmania 1 platform collects oceanographic observations (including sea surface temperature) during passenger transportation through Bass Strait between Melbourne (Victoria)/Geelong and Devonport (Tasmania). The IMOS Ships of Opportunity - Sensors on Temperate Merchant Vessels Sub-Facility maintains an underway sampling Seabird SBE45 thermo-salinograph (TSG), a Wetlabs combination fluorometer and turbidity sensor (ECO-FLNTU), a GPS were deployed in June 2008 on the Spirit of Tasmania I for initial trials. Routine data collection commenced on 28 August 2008. The Spirit of Tasmania 1 is owned by the TT-Line Company Pty Ltd and give a regular and reliable service linking mainland Australia to Tasmania. The Spirit of Tasmania operates under the ship callsign VLST and has the following characteristics: - Owner : TT-Line Company Pty Ltd - Builder : Kvaerner Masa-Yards Finland - Year Built : 1998 - Ship type : RO/RO Passenger V/L - Class : American Bureau of Shipping - Overall length : 194.33 metres - Overall width : 25 metres - Gross tonnage : 29.338 tonnes - Dead weight 5651 tonnes - Engines : 4x4 Stroke single acting turbo charged diesel of 10.560 kw each. Connected to twin variable pitch propellers via reduction gearboxes 510/147 RPM.