Known as a ‘bunker barge‘ these vessels pump fuel oil from their own tanks into those of the ship requiring refuelling.

Shell Australia’s ‘MV Zemira’ is a regular sight around the Port of Melbourne. I’ve found her at work at Webb Dock.

I’ve found her refuelling tankers on the lower reaches of the Maribyrnong River.

And I have even found her down at Station Pier topping up the Spirit of Tasmania.

The MarineTraffic website gives her stats as follows:

IMO: 9397767
MMSI: 503542000
Gross Tonnage: 2532
Deadweight: 3876 t
Length × Breadth: 74.5m × 16.82m
Year Built: 2007

Some more detail on Zemira can be found in the 2007 media release from Shell:

Shell’s new barge, Zemira, sets sail in Melbourne
18/10/2007

Shell Australia’s new bunker vessel MV Zemira was launched today at Station Pier, Port Melbourne, by the Victorian Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Mr Martin Pakula MLC and Shell Australia Chairman, Mr Russell Caplan.

Zemira commenced bunkering operations in the Port of Melbourne on 22 September 2007 following certification and trials.

The specifications of the newly built vessel are certainly impressive:

• 3800 deadweight tonnes (dwt),
• double hull and double bottom,
• self propelled,
• capacity to carry 3200MT of Heavy Fuel Oil and 600MT of Gas Oil,
• capacity for 150MT of bulk lubricants, and
• first dedicated bunkering vessel in Australia to be fully compliant with MARPOL Annex I

The Zemira is 74.5 metres in length, 3876 dwt, has five pairs of cargo tanks and two slop (lube) tanks totalling 4668 cubic metres served by three 500m3/hr cargo pumps. Her twin Anqing Daihatsu main engines deliver 11 knots, and she has accommodation for a permanent crew of six. The vessel is manned and operated by ASP Ship Management Pty Ltd, one of the leading ship operators and managers in Australia.

Zemira is named for the Zemira australis – a relatively rare mollusc of the Family Pseudolividae, with origins in the Cretaceous period some 100 million years ago. It is endemic to Australia and occurs from Fraser Island in Queensland to Tasmania. It grows to around 31mm in length.

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Melbourne is the mainland port of the ferry, with the ferry operating out of a terminal at Station Pier in Port Melbourne.

Loading of the Spirit of Tasmania for the overnight voyage starts in the afternoon, with dozens of semi-trailer loads of freight being loaded onboard the vessel.

The ferry arrives bow first into the berth, with vehicle access to the cargo decks via two sets of ramps – each at a different height.

Deck 5 on the upper level is loaded via a door in the forward deck.

Deck 3 on the lower level is loaded via a pair of doors in the bow, located just above the waterline.

Altogether there are five vehicle decks on the Spirit of Tasmania:

• Deck 1 and 2 are single ended, and are only accessible via a ramp at the front of deck 3.
• Deck 3 has the highest clearance and runs the length of the ship.
• Deck 4 doesn’t appear to exist.
• Deck 5 runs the length of the vessel, but has restricted clearances along the centre lanes.
• Deck 6 is a mezzanine level above deck 5.

Semi-trailers are the first to be loaded into the cargo hold.

Truck drivers drop off their trailers in the freight yard, with specialised ‘roro tractors’ being used to load them into the confined space of the cargo decks.

The passenger terminal is located next to the ferry, and is located over two levels.

Passengers bringing their cars along for the trip are required to pass a security inspection on arrival at Station Pier.

They are then sent to the far end of the pier to queue for boarding.

The stern of the Spirit of Tasmania has multiple loading ramps, which are used to unload the vessel at the Tasmanian end of the voyage.

As for passengers on foot,they much a much less salubrious entry to the ship – this austere looking doorway located just above the waterline near the stern.

Bonus footage

Some footage from YouTube.

First off, arriving at Station Pier in Melbourne and being loaded into deck 2, followed by driving off at the Devonport end.

And the view from the upper deck – being loaded onto deck 5 at the Melbourne end of the voyage:

And finally – dry docked in Sydney.

And another one

Turns out not all freight is loaded onto the Spirit of Tasmania by roro tractors – it appears that some owner-drivers take their own truck across the water to Tasmania, rather than just dropoff the trailer at the terminal.

@natz_adv driving onto the spirit of Tasmania #fypシ #foryoupage #tiktoktruckers #trucking #truckinglife #manthings #satisfying #bluecollar ♬ original sound – Nathan Franklin

So they can just drive off at the other end.

@natz_adv Reply to @ragdollmum hope that answers your question #bluecollar #satisfying #truckinglife #trucking #tiktoktruckers #foryoupage #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Nathan Franklin

Further reading

• Checking in procedures at the Spirit of Tasmania website
• Loading the Queenscliff-Sorrento car ferry

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