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Heysham’s new ferry to begin journey to joining Steam Packet Company fleet

Friday, 12 May 2023 10:10

The new ferry that will serve between Heysham and the Isle of Man will make its maiden voyage this weekend, to join the Steam Packet Company fleet.

‘Manxman’ will replace Ben-my-Cheree, the current ferry operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. The name was chosen after a public vote between Manxman, Mona’s Isle, Manx Maid and King Orry.

Manxman will become the third ship in the Company’s history to bear the name, the last a turbine steamer launched in 1955. It is a name that embodies the Manx spirit, signifies national pride and is suitably enduring for a vessel that will take the Steam Packet Company into its 200th year and beyond.

Now, the Manxman will make its maiden voyage, coming from Asia over the weekend after the official documentation was signed.

The Manxman is due to leave the dockyard where it was built in South Korea on Saturday, and will arrive in the Isle of Man by the end of June.

The signing closes the building phase of the project that began with the selection of Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in July 2020.

The vessel is now in the charge of Captain Andy Atkinson and Chief Engineer Dean Ellis.

In March 2019, a new Sea Services Agreement was finalised between the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and Department of Infrastructure, laying the framework for future investment in the Island’s lifeline sea links.

It set the wheels in motion to construct a replacement vessel for their conventional ferry, Ben-my-Chree, and they have since been busy progressing plans for the exciting new development.

James Royston, Fleet Operations Manager of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and project manager for the Manxman build said: "It has been an honour to be involved in this landmark investment for the Company and the island.

"It is a testament to the hard work of everyone involved that Manxman has gone from a design on a computer screen to a completed vessel in less than two years."

"It has been a pleasure working with the team at Hyundai Mipo, our site supervision team Sea Quest Marine, naval architects Houlder’s, insurers Lloyd’s Registry and most importantly the officers and crew of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company who have been on site since the block erection stage."

Managing Director Brian Thomson said: "This is the first new build vessel the Company has commissioned since Ben-my-Chree joined the fleet in 1998, so the culmination of the build phase really is a seminal moment for everyone involved.

"A lot of hard work has gone into achieving this milestone and it’s certainly a time to celebrate that.

"As the build phase ends we now turn the focus on delivering Manxman to the Irish Sea and beginning the process of getting it ready for service.’’

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