Bass Strait ferry plan gets budget cash

Bass Strait's passenger ferries, Spirit of Tasmania I and II, have just been refurbished and are carrying record numbers of tourists but the state government continues to squirrel away money to replace the vessels.

The upcoming Tasmanian budget will include an additional $100 million for the vessel replacement fund, Treasurer Peter Gutwein said on Monday, reconfirming that the boats are expected to need replacement in the early 2020s.

"The existing vessels won't last forever," he said, adding that more details about the replacement process are due to be announced in late 2017.