The Steam Packet has responded to growing concerns from island residents regarding the sustainability of its new vessel, Manxman, following several disrupted and cancelled sailings this week.

The company addressed these concerns in a blog post issued on Tuesday evening, featuring insights from fleet operations manager James Royston and Captain Tom Turner, who commands both the Manxman and Ben-my-Chree.

The response comes after disruption to the flag ship’s crossings this week.

On Monday, the £80 million vessel didn’t sail at all, with the Steam Packet citing ‘adverse forecast weather’ as its reason.

It was heavily disrupted on Tuesday, with the morning crossing to Heysham scrapped along with its return journey.

Manxman did sail on Tuesday evening, however it was delayed leaving Douglas by more than an hour, resulting in a knock on effect on its return.

Wednesday morning’s sailing to the Lancashire port was also delayed, along with its return to the island’s capital.

Following a number of questions circulating on social media, the ferry operator said they ‘trawled through social media’ to ‘get some answers from the people at the pointy end’.

Here are some of the key point’s from their responses:

Why not deploy Ben-my-Chree when Manxman is cancelled?

James Royston explained that the decision to cancel a sailing is not taken lightly and is based on strict risk assessment.

He noted that the maximum wind speed permissible for Ben-my-Chree to berth in Heysham is very similar to that of Manxman.

‘Therefore Ben-my-Chree couldn’t sail if Manxman wouldn’t have been able to either’ James said.

Why not sail Manxman to Liverpool if it can’t berth in Heysham?                

James said that trials have not yet been carried out for Manxman to operate from Liverpool.

He said that once the trials are successfully completed, the Steam Packet will have ‘more flexibility to consider Liverpool as an option in the future’.

However transporting freight via the Liverpool terminal is not an option. He said: ‘This is due to circumstances outside of our control’.

I’ve looked at a website and it’s only 20-25 knots of wind at Heysham. Why was the sailing cancelled?

James emphasised that the company relies on a comprehensive range of weather data, much of which is not publicly accessible.

‘There are many weather sources available, and forecasts can vary.

‘We use several of these to make the best possible decision, prioritising safety.

‘While some might show lower winds, others indicate conditions that might pose a risk.

‘We never take cancellations lightly, and we always aim to operate whenever it’s safe to do so.’

Captain Tom Turner added that local knowledge of the ports plays a significant role in these decisions.

He said: ‘In the Isle of Man – particularly in Douglas, we are largely sheltered when the wind comes from the North West, however Heysham’s landscape leaves little shelter for the vessel. 

‘Our Masters take their local knowledge of the ports and apply it. 

‘Looking at a forecast can be helpful, but local factors often come into play. 

‘So for example 30 knots from the North West in Heysham would have a larger effect on the vessel than if it was 30 knots from the South West in Heysham – as we receive shelter from the Nuclear Power station, as an example.’

Tom also pointed out that, unlike aircraft, ships do not have to luxury of aborting an approach and trying again if conditions change suddenly.

He said: ‘Unlike the aviation industry, ships don’t have the luxury of assessing a stable approach, then invoking a go around if an unstable approach is determined. 

‘Hence the manoeuvre is planned with a factor of contingency, a margin which ensures the vessel can safely berth with a sudden increase of wind (i.e. gusts / windshear).’

How can, for instance, Manannan sail and not Manxman?

James clarified that the wind conditions in Heysham, where Manxman was scheduled to sail, can differ significantly from those in Liverpool, where Manannan operates.

‘Due to the topography of the land and buildings around the ports, they are affected by winds of a different direction.’ Is Manxman too big for Heysham?       

Addressing rumours about the size of the Manxman and its ability to operate in Heysham, James stated that the vessel’s dimensions were designed with the Isle of Man’s Douglas port in mind, which is smaller than Heysham.

He said: ‘Manxman is 133m long but other vessels using Heysham are up to 147m long.

‘It’s draught is pretty much the same as Ben-my-Chree’s and can be altered in port through the use of ballast tanks and the in-built stability sytem.’

Manxman was a cancelled cruise ship

James said: ‘Manxman was designed and built specifically for the Steam Packet to a bespoke design, based on the requirements of the Sea Service Agreement and using input from customer surveys’.

Manxman is not as precise or controllable as Ben-my-Chree.

Tom said: ‘For a ship of Manxman’s size – she is a substantially powered and capable vessel in terms of Propulsion / Thrust.

‘She has 3300kW of bow thruster power up forward compared to 1800kW on Ben-my-Chree. 

‘Manxman also has special high lift rudders to aid with manoeuvrability.’