After a breakdown in leasing agreements, the Australian ferry Spirit of Tasmania IV will be leaving Leith to return to its home country.
It has been docked in Leith for three months due to infrastructure issues in Devonport, Tasmania, where it was originally intended to ferry passengers across the Bass Strait.
A new berth to accommodate the ship, along with a sister vessel still under construction, may not be ready until the end of 2026.
This means that the ferry is unlikely to be operational until 2026 or 2027, three years after it was intended to begin transportation.
Described as a “fiasco,” the situation has become a major issue in Australian politics.
Michael Ferguson, Tasmania’s infrastructure minister and chairman of the ferry operator TT-Line, resigned in August due to the controversy.
Senator for Tasmania Jacqui Lambie said: “I’ve said it before, and I’m saying it again: Michael Ferguson is incompetent and must be held accountable.”
According to Tasmanian government officials, TT-Line had been paying $47,534 (£24,031) per week to dock the ship at Forth Points.
The cost of upgrading the infrastructure in Devonport has more than quadrupled from an original estimate of AU$90m (£45.5m).
Tasmania’s transport minister, Eric Abetz, said: “The relentless negativity is hurting the state’s economic opportunities, and it’s time to move forward together.”
“Hawkand Atlantis – Diving Support Vessel : Leith Docks” by jambox998 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.