Sea SA managing director Stephanie Dawson said the 56-metre long vessel was expected to leave its Batam shipyard today, Sea SA was just waiting for some final certificates required by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

If it leaves Batam today, the Aurora V should be in Wallaroo toward the end of January or the beginning of February ready to start its service two or three days after arriving.

The vessel, which can carry 85 vehicles and 300 passengers, took less than a year to build after work started in February 2010.

Ms Dawson said Sea SA's leases and licences had been issued for both Wallaroo and Lucky Bay, so there would be no further delays, and maintenance dredging at Lucky Bay was finished.

Although a small amount of maintenance dredging at Wallaroo nees to be finished in the next week or two before the Aurora arrives.

The vessel has been built to the latest maritime regulations and purposely designed for the Spencer Gulf route. It also has environmentally friendly features.

The final fit out of the ferry comes after months of building and delays.

The service was suspended in October 2009 because the interim replacement vessel Seaway was not ready to operate after Sea SA's previous vessel Sea Spirit was sold in August 2009.

The Sea Spirit was sold because its large truck capacity was not being used because of traffic constraints through Wallaroo.