Spirit of Tasmania Terminal
Building a new home for the Spirit of Tasmania in Geelong.
The Spirit of Tasmania is a passenger, vehicle and freight ferry service that operates between Tasmania and Victoria. In 2020, the company announced it would shift its Victorian terminal from Port Melbourne to Geelong to enhance its passenger experience and expand its freight offering.
The APP Group was appointed by GeelongPort to establish a Project Management Office and deliver a program of works to design and construct the new passenger and freight terminal. More than 20,300 people were involved across its three main construction projects; marine works, civil construction and the construction of the passenger terminal. The project was completed in under 12 months to allow for operations to commence in October 2022.
The 12-hectare precinct included a new passenger terminal building, vehicle marshalling area for 600 cars, parking for 150 trucks, security facilities, amenities, crew accommodation as well as a café and play area.
Following construction, the Spirit of Tasmania sailed into its new Victorian terminal in October 2022. More than 450,000 passengers travel on the Spirit of Tasmania each year, and the Geelong terminal creates new opportunities for hospitality, agribusiness, freight and logistics industries throughout Victoria. The project is anticipated to increase tourism expenditure by $57.3M in Geelong, and $174.1M in Victoria by 2029-30. Two brand new Spirit of Tasmania ships are due to arrive and go into service in 2024.
The Spirit of Tasmania Quay’s three-level access ramp was a world-first, allowing light and heavy vehicles to unload simultaneously. This significantly reduces the time it takes to load and unload and significantly improves operational efficiency.
