Arabic version: غموض يحيط ببيع عبّارات «سبيريت» قبل رحلاتها الأخيرة

According to ABC News, details of the planned sale and future mooring of Spirit of Tasmania I and II remain unclear shortly before the vessels end their Bass Strait service.

TT-Line chief executive Chris Carbone said the two ferries would stop sailing from October 24. A sale process has been underway for some time and there is interest in the ships, he said, but their storage location will depend on when they are sold. Mr Carbone ruled out mooring them in Tasmania, saying there are no berths available in the state.

Spirit I and II, launched nearly 25 years ago, are due to be replaced by Spirit IV and V by the end of the month. The Tasmanian government has said it is confident a sale agreement will be secured soon, while declining to specify where the old vessels would be docked if a deal is not completed before the new ships enter service.

Labor infrastructure spokesperson Anita Dow questioned whether the sale was advancing, saying the government should give the community regular updates on plans for the vessels because public money is involved. She also said storage costs could reduce the eventual price received for the ships.

During a public accounts committee earlier this year, TT-Line said mooring the new ferries cost from $600,000 a month in Scotland to $900,000 a month in Geelong, without providing a total amount incurred. The committee also heard the company was expected to remain in debt until 2052.

Infrastructure and transport minister Kerry Vincent said TT-Line was working with brokers and that negotiations were progressing well. He said the government expected the company to secure a deal to sell Spirit I and II as soon as possible, but would not comment further while negotiations continued.