Isle of Man Steam Packet - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Limited (abbreviated to IOMSPCo.) is the oldest continuously operating passenger shipping company in the world, celebrating its 180th anniversary in 2010.

The company provides freight, passenger and vehicle services between the Isle of Man Sea Terminal

Isle of Man Sea Terminal

The Isle of Man Sea Terminal is the arrival and departure point for all passenger and car ferries operating to and from the Isle of Man and is located in Douglas, the island's capital. It is one of the two main gateways to the Isle of Man, the other one being the Isle of Man Airport...

, in Douglas

Douglas, Isle of Man

right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...

, Isle of Man

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...

and five ports in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

and Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

.

The Steam Packet Company was part of Macquarie Bank, an Australian investment bank, until April 2011 when it was announced that the Steam Packet Company had new owners Banco Espirito Santo

Banco Espírito Santo

Banco Espírito Santo is a private Portuguese bank, based in Lisbon.The Banco Espírito Santo’s origins began with the lottery, currency exchange and securities business carried out by José Maria do Espírito Santo e Silva between 1869 and 1884...

User Agreement

The Steam Packet Company is required to fulfil the terms of a User Agreement negotiated with the island's Department of Transport

Department of Transport (Isle of Man)

The Department of Infrastructure is a department of the Isle of Man Government.-History:The department was created in April 2010 from the Department of Transport....

. Under the 2004 extension of the Agreement, the following minimum service levels are required:

Inbound freight capacity, 7,800 lane metres per week.
Service to north-west UK ports, 936 return sailings per year.
Summer-period frequency to the Liverpool port range, a daily service from April to the third week in October.
Services to the east coast of Ireland, 63 return sailings per year.

Compliance with the above requirements gains the sole user rights to the government-owned linkspan

Linkspan

A linkspan or link-span is a type of drawbridge used mainly in the operation of moving vehicles on and off a RO-RO vessel or ferry.Linkspans are usually found at ferry terminals where a vessel uses a combination of ramps either at the stern, bow or side to load or unload cars, vans, trucks and...

in Douglas Harbour. The Steam Packet Company own the second linkspan, and thus control a monopoly on roll-on-roll-off vehicle transport to and from the Isle of Man.

the company is under investigation by a select committee of Tynwald

Tynwald

The Tynwald , or more formally, the High Court of Tynwald is the legislature of the Isle of Man. It is claimed to be the oldest continuous parliamentary body in the world, consisting of the directly elected House of Keys and the indirectly chosen Legislative Council.The Houses sit jointly, for...

, the Isle of Man's parliament. One of the concerns of Tynwald is the annual published profit margins by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, which according to Hansard, are 36% - almost three times the industry standard for ferry companies throughout the world.

Beginning of the company

There had been various shipping companies serving the Isle of Man

Isle of Man

before the formation of this company in 1830, but such crossings were irregular and vessels used were unreliable. As a result the island could be cut off for weeks at a time. The Manx people felt it was essential they should have their own dedicated service. A meeting was held in the island's capital Douglas

Douglas, Isle of Man

in 1829, from which was formed a committee charged with finding out the cost of acquiring a Steam Packet

Packet trade

Packet trade generally refers to any regularly scheduled cargo, passenger and mail trade conducted by ship. The ships are called "packet boats" as their original function was to carry mail.-United States:...

.

On 30 June 1830, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company was born when the brand new vessel, Mona’s Isle, built at a cost of £7,250, sailed from Douglas to Liverpool

Liverpool

Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...

on its very first sailing.

War service

Vessels and crews of the company were actively involved in both the World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

and World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. One vessel, King Orry, which was attached to the British Grand Fleet

British Grand Fleet

The Grand Fleet was the main fleet of the British Royal Navy during the First World War.-History:It was formed in 1914 by the British Atlantic Fleet combined with the Home Fleet and it included 35-40 state-of-the-art capital ships. It was initially commanded by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe...

, led the German High Seas Fleet

High Seas Fleet

The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Empire and saw action during World War I. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to...

into Scapa Flow

Scapa Flow

right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...

in the Orkney Islands

Orkney Islands

Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...

at the end of World War I. Another vessel, Viking was converted to become a seaplane carrier, serving as .

During World War II, eleven out of a total fleet of fifteen Steam Packet ships were requisitioned by the Admiralty

Admiralty

The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...

; four of which were lost, three retained by the government and four returned to service. and also served as aircraft/seaplane carriers.

In World War II, ten of the fleet of sixteen ships were commandeered for active duty, four of which were lost. The Dunkirk evacuation was perhaps the company's finest hour, with Mona’s Isle (not the original ship) being the first to leave Dover

Dover

Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...

and the first to complete the round trip during the evacuation. Eight company ships took part in this mission, rescuing a total of 24,699 British troops – one in fourteen of those evacuated from Dunkirk.

Vehicle transport

The Steam Packet Company introduced a number of car ferries

RORO

Roll-on/roll-off ships are vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo such as automobiles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, trailers or railroad cars that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels...

beginning with the in 1962 then the (1966), (1972) and then the (1976). All four of the company's first car ferries were all side loading. The first ferry they bought that was a stern loader was the Mona's Isle [IV]. It now also operates a fast ferry service with Manannan

Merger

The 1980s were tough times for the Steam Packet. Declining passenger numbers and strong competition

Competition (economics)

Competition in economics is a term that encompasses the notion of individuals and firms striving for a greater share of a market to sell or buy goods and services...

from Manx Line

Manx Line

Manx Line was the name of the ferry company that brought the RO-RO era to the Isle of Man between 1979-1984. It wasn't the first company called "Manx Line", with the Steam Packet Company having seen off another company with the same name in the late 19th century.-History:The company operated one...

brought the company close to collapse. In February 1985 Manx Line merged with the Steam Packet Company.

Today

The company still provides regular services. Both high-speed craft and a conventional vessel make up the current fleet. In return for exclusive use of the link spans at Douglas, the Steam Packet Company has made a guarantee of regular services to the Manx government.

In addition to the regular routes, the company operates a small number of special day excursions to other destinations or round the Isle of Man during the summer months. Extra sailings are scheduled during times of high demand such as the TT

Isle of Man TT

The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...

period. The company also operates its own in-house travel agency.

2008 rebranding

In June 2007, a new CEO, Mark Woodward, was appointed to succeed Hamish Ross, promising to improve the company's services and to return to the classic livery and promote the Island's culture.

The first part of the rebranding was first exercised with the Sea Express 1 becoming Snaefell and SuperSeaCat Two becoming Viking, the latter having now been sold and operating for Atlantico Line as the Hellenic Wind.

The fleet received a brand new livery, replacing the old SeaCo

Sea Containers Ltd

Sea Containers Ltd. is a Bermuda-registered company which operates two main business areas: transport and container leasing.In March 2006 the company sold its share of Orient-Express Hotels...

livery, whilst all fleet members received complete internal refits which reflected the company's new colours and the rebranding of the company's on board lounges.

The terminals also received rebranding, with new signage being fitted, and new uniforms were made for crew and shore staff.

The company's first class lounge and members club were renamed, with 1st Lounge becoming the Manannan Premium Lounge and the Blue Riband became the Manannan Executive Club. The Quiet Lounge was also renamed, becoming the Niarbyl Reserved Lounge.

Ownership

In 1996, the Steam Packet Company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Sea Containers Ltd

Sea Containers Ltd

Sea Containers Ltd. is a Bermuda-registered company which operates two main business areas: transport and container leasing.In March 2006 the company sold its share of Orient-Express Hotels...

headed by James Sherwood

James Sherwood

James B. Sherwood is an American-born, British-based businessman.-Early life:Sherwood grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and earned a degree in economics from Yale University. Sherwood learned about shipping first in the U.S. Navy, spending three years as a cargo officer, and then working for U.S...

, who had pioneered the fast-craft operation. In July 2003, the company was sold to Montagu Private Equity for £142 million (previously named HSBC Private Equity Ltd

HSBC

HSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...

).

In 2005, the company was purchased by major Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n finance firm Macquarie Bank for £225 million.

Fleet history

The company originally started utilising wooden paddle steamers, which soon gave way to the steel "screw" vessels. The "screw" vessels were superseded by turbine steamers, the first being the 1905 Viking]. The company then replaced the passenger-only steamers with sideloading car ferries, the first diesel car ferry being the 1972 Mona's Queen [V

MV Mary the Queen

Mary the Queen was a ferry in south-east Asia, mainly sailing between Manila and Boracay. Built in 1971 as Mona's Queen , between 1972 and 1990 she was operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company from Douglas, Isle of Man.-History:...

]. Fastcraft then became the next generation of vessels to operate for the company, the first being the SeaCat Isle of Man

HSC Snaefell

The HSC Snaefell, now HSC Master Jet is an Incat WPC74 , owned by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. The vessel was the first fast craft to bear a Manx name. She is also the sixth vessel to bear the name...

. The company now operates a fleet of two, a fastcraft and a RO-PAX conventional ferry.

Current fleet

Picture	Name	Built (Commissioned)	Route(s)	Tonnage	Port of Registry	Notes
	MS Ben-my-Chree [VI MS Ben-my-Chree The MV Ben-my-Chree is a Ro-Pax vessel that is operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. The vessel is the company's flagship.The ship is registered in Douglas, Isle of Man... ]	April 1998 (July 1998)	Douglas - Heysham Douglas - Birkenhead Douglas - Dublin (Winter Service)		Douglas	Flagship of the fleet
	HSC Manannan	November 1998 (May 2009)	Douglas - Liverpool Douglas - Belfast Douglas - Dublin (Summer Service)		Douglas

Current routes

The routes which the Steam Packet Company operates are:

Douglas - Liverpool (March-November)
Douglas - Heysham (Year round)
Douglas - Birkenhead (November-March)
Douglas - Belfast (April-September)
Douglas - Dublin (April-December)

Pre-War Steamers

The company built five steamers over ten years from 1927. They were the replacements for the various second-hand steamers that the company purchased to replace its World War I losses.

Ship	Built	Entered service	Route	Gross Tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage...	Notes
Ben-my-Chree [IV TSS Ben-my-Chree (1927) Ben-my-Chree was a passenger ferry operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company between 1927 and 1965.-History:The Ben-my-Chree was built in 1927 at the Cammell Laird shipyard, Birkenhead. She was the first steamer built post-World War I for the Steam Packet Co and averaged over 20 knots on... ]	1927	? 1927	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Requisitioned (1939–46), scrapped 1965.
Lady of Mann [I TSS Lady of Mann TSS Lady of Mann was a passenger ship was built by Vickers Armstrong for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company at Barrow-in-Furness in 1930, at a cost of £249,073. Certificated to carry 2873 passengers and 81 crew, she was commissioned to operate on the Island's busy Douglas - Liverpool; Douglas -... ]	1930	? 1930	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Requisitioned (1939–46), scrapped 1971.
Mona's Queen [III]	1934	? 1934	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Sunk (mined) at Dunkirk, 1940.
Fenella [II]	1937	? 1937	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Sunk (bombed) at Dunkirk, 1940.
Tynwald [IV HMS Tynwald The fourth Tynwald was a steamer in the Isle of Man Steam Packet fleet.The ship was built in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria in 1936, named Tynwald, and operated for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company between Liverpool or Fleetwood, United Kingdom and Douglas on the Isle of Man until September... ]	1937	? 1937	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Sunk (torpedoed) off Bougie, 1942.

The "Six Sisters"

The last turbine steamer in the fleet was the Manxman

TSS Manxman

Turbine Steam Ship Manxman was launched from the Cammell Laird shipyard, Birkenhead on 8 February 1955. She was the final vessel in a class of six similar ships ordered by the Isle of Man Steam Packet, and was the second of the Company's ships to carry this name.-Sister ships:*King Orry: built...

, introduced in 1955 and withdrawn in 1982, but still in existence and awaiting restoration in 2008. All six of "The Six Sisters" were built at Cammell Laird

Cammell Laird

Cammell Laird, one of the most famous names in British shipbuilding during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, came about following the merger of Laird, Son & Co. of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co. of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century.- Founding of the business :The Company...

in Birkenhead.

Ship	Built	Entered service	Route	Gross Tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage...	Notes
King Orry [IV]	1946	April 1946	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Decommissioned 1975, scrapped 1979.
Mona's Queen [IV TSS Mona's Queen TSS Mona’s Queen No 165283 was a passenger vessel operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company from 1946 to 1962. She was built at a cost of £411,241 ,.-Dimensions:... ]	1946	June 1946	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Decommissioned and sold 1962, scrapped 1981.
Tynwald [V Tynwald (1947) TSS Tynwald No. 165248, was a passenger vessel operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company from 1947 to 1974, and was the fifth vessel in the history of the line to bear the name.-History.:... ]	1947	July 1947	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Decommissioned and scrapped 1974.
Snaefell [V Snaefell (1948) TSS Snaefell was a passenger vessel operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company from 1948 to 1978.-History:She was built at Cammell Laird, as one of six ships delivered by the company between 1946 and 1955 at a cost of £504,448 ,.... ]	1948	July 1948	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Decommissioned 1977, scrapped 1978.
Mona's Isle [V Mona's Isle (1950) TSS Mona’s Isle was a passenger vessel operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company from 1951 to 1980.-History:She was built at Cammell Laird, as one of six ships delivered by the company between 1946 and 1955 at a cost of £570,000 ,.... ]	1950	March 1951	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Decommissioned and scrapped 1980.
Manxman [II TSS Manxman Turbine Steam Ship Manxman was launched from the Cammell Laird shipyard, Birkenhead on 8 February 1955. She was the final vessel in a class of six similar ships ordered by the Isle of Man Steam Packet, and was the second of the Company's ships to carry this name.-Sister ships:*King Orry: built... ]	1955	May 1955	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Decommissioned 1982, awaiting scrapping 2010.

Side-loading car ferries

The company developed a design of side-loading car ferries, with a spiral ramp at the stern. These could operate (as car ferries) from ports which were not equipped with linkspan

Linkspan

s. This design is unique to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company still today.

Ship	Built	Entered service	Route	Gross Tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage...	Notes
Manx Maid [II]	1962	May 1962	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Decommissioned 1984, scrapped in 1986.
Ben-my-Chree [V]	1965	May 1966	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Decommissioned 1984, sold, scrapped in 1989.
Mona's Queen [V MV Mary the Queen Mary the Queen was a ferry in south-east Asia, mainly sailing between Manila and Boracay. Built in 1971 as Mona's Queen , between 1972 and 1990 she was operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company from Douglas, Isle of Man.-History:... ]	1972	June 1972	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Decommissioned 1990, sold 1995, scrapped in 2010.
Lady of Mann [II]	1975	June 1976	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Sold in 2005 to SAOS Ferries, active as of 2010.

RO-RO ferries

The company has operated a number of RO-RO passenger and freight ferries in its history, the pioneering vessel being the Peveril [IV] in 1981, in response to Manx Line's Manx Viking.

Ship	Built	Entered service	Route	Gross Tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage...	Notes
Mona's Isle [VI]	1966	April 1984	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Sold in 1985, sunk off Jeddah in 2004.
Tynwald [VI]	1967	October 1985	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Sold in 1990, scrapped in 2002.
King Orry [VI]	1972	February 1990	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Sold in 1998, currently active.
Peveril [IV]	1974	May 1981	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Sold in 1998, scrapped in 2009
	1976	April 1985	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Sold in 1986, laid up as of 2010
Belard MV Muirneag MV Muirneag is a ro-ro freight ferry, built in 1979 as MV Mercandian Carrier. From 1986 to 2002, she was named MV Belard, serving initially across the Irish Sea. Since 2002, she has been chartered by Caledonian MacBrayne on the Ullapool to Stornoway crossing.-History:MV Mercandian Carrier was built...	1979	November 1993	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various		Sold in 1998, currently active.

Fastcraft

The company has operated fastcraft since 1993.

Ship	Built	Entered service	Route	Notes
Emeraude France	1991	March 2007	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880... /Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... /Dublin	Currently laid up at Tilbury
SeaCat Danmark	1991	May 1998	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880... /Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... /Dublin	Now operating as Pescara Jet
SeaCat Rapide	1996	June 2004	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various	Now operating as Jaume II
Snaefell [VI HSC Snaefell The HSC Snaefell, now HSC Master Jet is an Incat WPC74 , owned by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. The vessel was the first fast craft to bear a Manx name. She is also the sixth vessel to bear the name... ]	1991	May 1994	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... /Dublin /Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...	Sold to NEL Lines in Greece.
SuperSeaCat Three	1999	2000	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — various	Now operating as Speedrunner III
Viking [II]	1997	March 2003	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880... Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... /Dublin	Sold, now operating as Hellenic Wind
Manannan	1998	May 2009	Douglas Douglas, Isle of Man right\|thumb\|250px\|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright\|thumb\|250px\|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping... — Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880... /Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... /Dublin	Currently in service

2007 Sea Express 1 accident

On 3 February 2007, Sea Express 1 (formerly SeaCat Isle of Man) collided with the cargo ship Alaska Rainbow in heavy fog in the River Mersey

River Mersey

The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....

. None of the 294 passengers and crew was hurt, and the ferry was moored at Liverpool Pier Head

Pier Head

The Pier Head is a riverside location in the city centre of Liverpool, England. It is part of the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was inscribed in 2004....

while water was being pumped from the engine room, a number of cars remained on board. She was later towed to the Cammell Laird basin in Birkenhead

Birkenhead

Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...

where all cars remaining aboard were offloaded. On 14 March 2007, the Sea Express 1 was relaunched. In the meantime alternative service was provided by Ben-my-Chree to Birkenhead during the weekends. In December 2007, the vessel was renamed to become the sixth Snaefell.

2010 Ben-my-Chree accident

On 26 March 2010, while embarking passengers and loading vehicles at Heysham, England, the ro-ro passenger ferry Ben-My-Chree moved approximately eight metres along the quayside, causing serious damage to the passenger access structure. The foot-passenger walkway detached at both ends and collapsed onto the quayside, and the gangway detached from the vessel’s side shell door and was left hanging on a single rope. Fortunately, there were no injuries. Eight passengers were trapped in the gangway compartment of the shore structure and were later rescued by the local fire service.

2010 fastcraft disruption

In July 2010, Manannan suffered a technical problem, causing one of her engines to shut down. This caused minor disruption to the schedule, and 35 minutes was added to her crossing time from Douglas to Liverpool, bringing it to three hours.

Then, two weeks later, Snaefell

HSC Snaefell

suffered the same technical problem, causing one of her engines to shut down also. This now caused major disruption to the schedule, as she wasn't able to carry out her Liverpool sailings, and most Irish sailings were re-scheduled, and her crossing time from Douglas to Belfast and Dublin was up to four hours.

Manannan's engine was repaired in November 2010 when the fastcraft season had ended, and Snaefell

HSC Snaefell

's engine was repaired in September 2010, when she was taken out of service.

2011 fastcraft distruption

In July 2011, suffered a problem with one of her gearboxes, causing one of her engines to shut down. This caused distruption to the schedule, with the Liverpool crossing now taking 3 hours, and Belfast and Dublin crossings taking 3 hours and 25 minutes. The Steam Packet released a report stating that they were disappointed in the problem with the gearbox, as all four gearboxes were overhauled during winter 2010.

2010 competition with Mezeron

On 1 November 2010, it was reported on the Isle of Man Newspapers website, that the Steam Packet had lost two major freight customers to rival company Mezeron who had just set up a new freight service between Douglas and Liverpool a week or so earlier. Here is an extract from the article:

Manx jobs and ferry passengers services could be in jeopardy following the loss of major freight customers, the boss of the Steam Packet has warned. Tesco and Shoprite have confirmed they have signed up to rival Mezeron’s Douglas to Liverpool lift-on, lift-off container service. Steam Packet chief executive Mark Woodward told iomtoday a ‘significant proportion’ of freight revenue had been lost. He said: ‘This is very, very bad news for the Isle of Man. We have to fight this. This is about the survival of a company that has served the Isle of Man well for 180 years.’ Mr Woodward said freight revenue subsidised passengers fares and to retain and win back freight business, rates would have to reduced which would mean passengers’ fares going up. But with the user agreement putting a cap on fare increases, the other option was to cut back on passenger services which he said were presently ‘well in excess’ of the bare minimum set out by the user agreement with the government.

Filmography

Steam Packet ships have been used in a number of film

Film

A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...

s. Examples include Chariots of Fire

Chariots of Fire

Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....

where the team travel on a Steam Packet vessel with the Liver Building clearly visible. In the Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand

Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...

film, Yentl

Yentl

Yentl is a play by Leah Napolin and Isaac Bashevis Singer.Based on Singer's short story "Yentl the Yeshiva Boy," it centers on a young girl who defies tradition by discussing and debating Jewish law and theology with her rabbi father...

the ship carrying emigrants to the United States at the end of the film is the Manxman. The Ben-my-Chree [6] was used in 2004 as a double for an English Channel

English Channel

The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...

ferry in the film On a Clear Day. The Lady of Mann was also used in the 2004 film Mickybo and Me

Mickybo and Me

Mickybo and Me is a 2004 British comedy-drama film written and directed by Terry Loane and based on the stage play Mojo Mickybo by Owen McCafferty...

External links

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