SeaRoad Ro-Ro departs on final Bass Strait sailing

SeaRoad Shipping’s Ro-Ro ferry SeaRoad Tamar departed Devonport for the last time at 17:00 local time on Wednesday, March 31, after 30 years of operating on Bass Strait.

Built at Carrington Slipways in Tomago, New South Wales, SeaRoad Tamar is the last Ro-Ro monohull vessel built in Australia. The ship was purpose-built for its first owner, ANL, before being sold to Holyman Shipping, operating as Coastal Express Line.

In its initial years, the Ro-Ro underwent modifications to improve its sailing performance and reliability as a freight vessel.

The ship was acquired by Patrick Corporation in 1999 and then sold to a group of local investors led by Chas Kelly in 2007. This group later became known as SeaRoad.

The recently arrived chartered Ro-Ro ferry Liekut will replace SeaRoad Tamar in serving SeaRoad’s customers in Tasmania.