The brand-new, purpose-designed Spirit of Tasmania Quay terminal is a state-of-the-art passenger and freight terminal, which includes a vehicle marshalling area for 600 cars, and a parking area for 150 semi-trailers. We worked closely with GeelongPort and their designers for more than two years to transform Corio Quay South precinct into the new home of Spirit of Tasmania.
Throughout this project new engineering innovations to the region, including a world first three-level access ramp was locally fabricated and erected by the team. This three level ramp allows cars, caravans and heavy vehicles to board and disembark the ship simultaneously. This engineering innovation significantly reduces the time it takes the load and unload the vessel, improving operational efficiency for the service.
Also installed by us was an Automated Mooring System with six Cavotec Moormaster units which support safer and more efficient mooring allowing vessels to be berthed with the “push of a button”.
One of the numerous challenges of the Project was the construction of a design that was able to not only accommodate the existing Spirit of Tasmania but also the next two new vessels, being Spirit of Tasmania IV and Spirit of Tasmania V, which has varying and differing dimensions to the current vessels. Another challenges was the “lock in stone completion date, due to the previous berthing place for the vessels (at Station Pier in Port Melbourne) was no longer a viable option.
This required significant works to be undertaken on a 2 shift day/night basis for an extended period of time, whilst coordinating with separate land based civil works contractor (BMD Construction) and builder of the building facility (Kane Constructions)
At the peak of construction, there were 400 workers onsite, who worked a total of 440,000 hours in creating this works case facility.
Works included within Fitzgerald’s scope as the appointed ECI contractor were :-
- Co-ordination of design efforts up to approved for construction status.
- Demolition of areas of the existing wharf to enable the new berthing dolphins to be constructed.
- Supply and installation of steel tube piles of varying diameters up to 1.5m dia, precast bath arrangements to enable concrete works to be undertaken safely for the new berthing Dolphins.
- Construction of a complex bow fender together with supportive steel tube piles.
- Embankment strengthening and stabilisation with the supply and installation of steel sheet piles.
- Structural Concrete Super T beam bridge structure ramping up form ground level to the 3 level structural steel access.
- Fabrication and erection of all associated structural steelworks associated with the 3 level access bridge, including the lattice truss upstands, horizontal gantry and linkspans.
All the aforementioned was undertaken in a fast track, “just in time” design and construction methodology, on an open book basis with GeelongPort, to ensure the completion date, was met.
Spirit of Tasmania Project has received the following awards:
- Project of the Year (2023 Endeavour Awards)
- Connectivity Award (2025 Future Geelong Leadership Awards
