In February 2022, ALMACO was contracted to provide modular cabins for the two newest Spirit of Tasmania ferries for the Australian owner TT-Line Company Pty Ltd. The ferries will both have 382 cabins each, a total of 764 cabins. This includes 301 passenger cabins and 81 crew cabins. The construction of the vessels takes place at RMC (Rauma Marine Constructions) in Finland.
The modular cabins will be built in ALMACO’s Mobile Cabin Factory. This consists of a “popup” cabin assembly line that can be set up anywhere in the world. In this case, the Mobile Cabin Factory will be set up in a warehouse between Rauma and Turku. After completion, the fully finished cabins will then be transported to the shipyard, where they will be lifted on board and plugged into the vessel. The only installation works needed after delivery is to connect the electricity, ventilation, and piping.
Increasing capacity through updated designs
The new ships will resemble the current Spirit of Tasmania ferries. However, the new design allows the vessels to board more passengers, passenger vehicles, and freight. The vessel’s capacity is 1,800 passengers per ferry and the gross tonnage will be around 48,000 metric tons.
Jussi Laimi, Vice President of Accommodation Newbuild Sales at ALMACO, says,
“This will be our first project working with RMC, so it’s a true honor to be chosen for this project. We look forward to setting up our Mobile Cabin Factory and getting started with the modular cabins together with RMC.”
The twin Spirit of Tasmania vessels powered with LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) will operate in the open sea route between mainland Australia and Tasmania. The construction of the hull at RMC started in February 2022. ALMACO will start building the cabins for the first vessel in November 2022 and deliver these to Rauma Shipyard during the summer of 2023. The first vessel will be completed in the first quarter of 2024. Later that year, the second vessel will be completed in the last quarter of 2024.
About ALMACO Group
ALMACO Group is a full-service contractor for the new construction and modernization of Accommodation and Catering areas for the Marine and Offshore industries. ALMACO builds and refurbishes complete interiors of marine vessels and offshore units. These include cabins, wet units, public spaces, galleys, provision stores, and refrigeration machinery, as well as complete living quarters for offshore accommodations. ALMACO works with owners and builders around the world. They provide full turnkey solutions comprising design and engineering, project management, spare parts, and maintenance. Founded in 1998, ALMACO has offices in Brazil, China, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, and the USA.
About Spirit of Tasmania (TT-Line Company)
Spirit of Tasmania (TT-Line Company), the owner of the vessels, is a significant player in maritime transport between mainland Australia and Tasmania. Currently, the Spirit of Tasmania-named vessels carry around 450,000 passengers each year. The new vessels will operate an extremely challenging route across Bass Strait between Geelong, Victoria, and Devonport, Tasmania. The ferries have been specially designed to undertake this specific route.
About RMC – Rauma Marine Constructions
Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) is a shipbuilding company based in Rauma, Finland that specializes in the construction and maintenance of car ferries, icebreakers, and naval vessels. The company represents world-leading expertise in Arctic shipbuilding. This area is heavily relied upon by the know-how and competitiveness of the Finnish marine industry. RMC was founded in 2014 but represents the long and strong traditions of Finnish shipbuilding as it used to be Rauma Shipyard.
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