Bass Strait ferries
| Bass Strait Ferry | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Spirit of Tasmania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | Spirit of Tasmania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bass Strait Ferries have been the ships that have been used for regular transport across Bass Strait between Tasmania and Victoria on mainland Australia, as well as the various attempts to link Tasmania with Sydney. Historically, some regular shipping services in the twentieth century linked Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart with the Bass Strait ports: Launceston's various port locations, Devonport and Burnie. The distinction between coastal shipping and Bass Strait ferry has been blurred at times.
At various stages the cost of shipping between Tasmania and the Australian mainland have caused enquiries and calls for subsidies or reduced rates of both ferries and general shipping.