The handover of the second of two 48,000 GT ferries marks the completion of Finland’s largest-ever export deal with Australia. This project saw Team Electric applying their technical skills and project management expertise to the Spirit of Tasmania V.
Delivered to TT-Line by Rauma Marine Contractors at the end of June, this 26-knot ro-pax ferry is the second new ship for the Bass Strait, with the first already en route to Hobart. The vessel can accommodate 1,800 passengers and offers 3,700 lane meters for vehicles. These 212-meter ships will replace older, smaller ferries connecting Geelong in Victoria and Devonport in Tasmania.
The new ferries are designed to handle rough conditions and are equipped with dual-fuel propulsion systems. On the occasion of the Spirit of Tasmania delivery, Mika Nieminen, the CEO and President of Rauma Marine Constructions Oy, emphasized the importance of teamwork in completing the V.
He expressed gratitude to TT-Line for their “excellent cooperation,” stating, “The vessel showcases the strong shipbuilding skills found in Rauma and demonstrates what the Rauma shipyard is capable of. I also want to thank our partners and the Classification Society.”
Comprehensive Electric Solutions
With 80-100 Team Electric engineers working at a time, the company had to ensure efficiency while meeting project deadlines and coordinating with various RMC supervisors. For technical areas like engine rooms and workshops, RMC had 30 Team Electric installation engineers reporting directly to the yard’s area managers.
Team Electric also collaborated with Amalco on electrical installations for 301 passenger cabins and 46 crew cabins. They partnered with Orsap to work on 12 luxury cabins, lounges, and public areas on decks 9, 10, and 11, while also teaming up with NIT on restaurants, bars, cinemas, and kids’ areas on Deck 8 (covering 3,497 sqm), and Scanmarine for balconies on decks 8, 9, and 10.
The company worked with Koja, a turnkey solution provider, to install three air conditioning rooms (296.42 sqm), deploying engineers throughout the ship to manage related systems. Team Electric also fulfilled a special request from Signwell Oy to complete a project involving low location light services, all done on time and within budget.
This entire project has helped solidify Team Electric’s reputation in the high-performance ro-pax ferry market and strengthens their relationship with TT-Line, according to Aigar Jürise, Project Manager at Team Electric Group.
Gaining Valuable Experience
“Such projects can be complex, as they require the coordination of different teams across various locations and involve multiple nationalities,” Jürise explained. “We must ensure our installation work meets expectations while collaborating with plumbers, fitters, and others on site, as well as coordinating with the shipyard and our interior partners, whose project timelines may differ.” The delivery date for the Spirit of Tasmania V changed several times, complicating the coordination process.
However, with around 99% of the Team Electric workforce from the Spirit of Tasmania IV project also working on the second ferry, Jürise noted new opportunities for improving efficiency.
“Everyone was familiar with their roles on Spirit of Tasmania V, and we refined our workflows based on previous experiences, getting ahead of potential challenges that might arise at the end of the project.”
The time gap between projects also introduced a regulatory requirement for switching from USB-A sockets to faster USB-C fittings. This change necessitated “in-the-moment modifications” for all cabins and public areas, according to Jürise, along with innovative logistics to ensure the necessary components were available on time.
“Team Electric’s combination of technical expertise and practical execution has been instrumental in us being chosen as the preferred partner for major passenger shipping deliveries,” he added.
“Electricity is playing an increasingly important role in enhancing the performance, efficiency, and sustainability of ships, and we are proud that more owners, yards, and contractors recognize that collaborating with a multi-disciplinary electrical systems partner can unlock significant potential.”