The oldest vessel in the Steam Packet Company fleet is on its return voyage back to the Isle of Man.

The Ben-my-Chree has spent over a month drydocked in Merseyside while repairs to its hull were carried out.

It originally sustained the minor damage during a passing to Belfast in late November, with the Steam Packet stating the repairs could not be carried out in the water.

The arms-length government company said it was 'assessing the quickest way to fix the damage (to the Ben-my-Chree)' and that 'an interval investigation was undertaken, alongside the Isle of Man Ship Registry, Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Lloyds Register, to understand how the damage was caused.'

When the vessel suffered the damages the company insisted 'there was at no point any risk to members of the crew'.

Now repaired, the Ben-my-Chree is sailing back to the island today, and is expected to be in Douglas around 5pm this afternoon.

The return of the Ben comes at a difficult period for the Steam Packet Company, with a number of staff having been on the receiving end of a barrage of abuse and threatening behaviour from disgruntled customers.

Adverse weather conditions caused the sailing schedule to be thrown into chaos, with several Manxman journeys delayed or axed, plunging many festive travel plans into turmoil.

And tensions look set to simmer into the new year, when planned strike action from members of Nautilus International goes ahead.

Earlier this month the union, which represents deck and engineering officers working for the Steam Packet, revealed that members had voted in favour of taking industrial action in a long-running dispute with the Steam Packet over working conditions.

And while a peaceful protest in support of the Steam Packet staff was postponed due to weather conditions, organisers insist it will take place in the new year.

Isle of Man Today understands that some politicians and Steam Packet staff were set to be in attendance at the protest, which was supposed to take place outside the Sea Terminal.

Meanwhile, the future of the Ben-my-Chree remains unclear.

In August it was confirmed that the Steam Packet is in talks with the government about dropping the Ben-my-Chree as its backup vessel.

The Steam Packet's plans, which are outlined in its annual plan, would require the Department of Infrastructure to allow the company to amend the Sea Services Agreement and would leave Arrow as the back up vessel rather than the Ben-my-Chree, making it easier to sell her.