“
The vessels have been designed to meet the needs of the Bass Strait and the business conditions of the client .
that the Spirit of Tasmania ships will be exposed to extremely demanding weather and sea conditions .
“ The vessels have been designed to meet the needs of the Bass Strait and the business conditions of the client . RMC specialises in large and fast car and passenger ferries . This is where RMC holds a leading position on a global scale ,” confirms Enlund .
First negotiations with the Tasmanians were initiated already in 2008 , but it was not until late 2019 that the parties sat down once again at the negotiating table . The contract was finally signed in 2021 , but with a special twist .
“ The contracts for the construction of Spirit of Tasmania IV and V are the only contracts I have signed remotely in my 44-year career ,” states Enlund .
In addition to the pandemic , certain geopolitical issues challenged the construction of the Tasmanian ships .
“ We can ’ t influence geopolitics . We can , however , remain focused on our belief in the future . Once both ships are in traffic , we will see the benefits of our efforts for
Tasmania and TT-Line . That ’ s when we will be truly satisfied ,” Enlund believes .
STRONG CONTINUITY FOR THE NEW SHIPYARD IN RAUMA
In connection with the construction of the Tasmanian vessels and under the leadership of Mika Nieminen , who took his position as CEO and President of RMC in spring 2023 , the shipyard has adopted a new industrial approach . The shipyard ’ s order book extends until 2028 , but according to Nieminen , after the delivery of both Tasmanian vessels , it will be possible for the shipyard to start building new vessels alongside the multi-purpose corvettes under construction .
“ In the future , we would like to take advantage of our special expertise in winter navigation to build icebreakers and other ice-strengthened vessels for both the public and private sectors . We are interested in co-operation with other countries who operate in icy conditions . It would be natural to increase co-operation with other Nordic countries , especially Sweden .”
Nieminen considers Rauma , as a strategic port location , to be uniquely positioned for shipbuilding projects such as icebreakers or , for example , collaboration with NATO partners . Rauma ’ s renewed shipyard has invested in a secure environment where the entire construction project can be carried out in a single shipyard area . Investments have been made in steel production , a hall has been built for indoor shipbuilding and a new heavy transfer ramp and quay are also under construction for launching purposes .
RMC has invested in the construction of hybrid ships and conversion of ships to become hybrid-powered ; one example of which is the Rauma-built Aurora Botnia . RMC is currently working on the FUSE project to explore the concept of a fully electric ship . RMC estimates that stricter emissions requirements will accelerate the demand for cleaner ships .
“ We offer a very concrete value proposition : we provide a strong demonstration of Finnish expertise that is tailored to our clients ’ needs and meets all current requirements ,” assures Mika Nieminen , CEO and President of RMC . n
16 seatec 2025