Displaying items by tag: Manxman's maiden voyage

17th August 2023

First Profit for Isle of Man Steam Packet Since Pandemic

A return to profit for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has been recorded for the first time in three years.

The ferry operator currently with a fleet of four, which became owned by the Manx government in 2018, made an £11m profit in 2022, following a £3.2m loss the previous year.

The double digit profit figure represents a significant upturn in the Steam-Packet's fortunes, which at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, saw a loss of more than £10.5m.

Such losses had stemmed from border closures during the pandemic. In addition the need to provide freight services so to enable essential lifeline supplies during that period.

It is now almost 17 months since the remaining Covid restrictions were lifted on 1 April 2022.

BBC News has more on the Steam Packet's directors' report and including in the same year when the company acquired the relief ro-ro freight vessel MV Arrow for about £8m.

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New Flagship Manxman's Maiden Voyage Is Confirmed for Next Week

A new flagship ferry of the Isle of Man Steamship Company which is the biggest in the history of the operator is to make its maiden voyage next week.

The £76m newbuild Manxman is due to make its first passenger sailing from the Douglas to Heyham in Lancashire on 17 August, the Steam Packet have confirmed.

Since the South Korean built ferry arrived to the Isle of Man on 2 July, the 950 passenger and crew capacity newbuild has not been in service due to undertaking berthing trials and pre-passenger service checks and checking of emergency systems.

The 24,161 gross tonnage Manxman which has also carried out berthing trials in Belfast Harbour, is scheduled to make the maiden sailing with a departure from Douglas Harbour at 08:45 bound for Heysham. The corresponding return crossing from the English north-west port is at 14:15.

Manxman directly replaces the Isle of Man-England route serving ropax Ben-my-Chree, though initially the 12,747 gross tonnage 600 passenger ferry which entered service in 1998, will remain in service when operating overnight sailings for a month.

For more, BBC News reports on the 'time to bed-in' of the newbuild.

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