The seasonal Douglas-Dublin ferry route operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet is set to conduct 18 sailings to and from the Irish capital next year.

In the House of Keys earlier (last) week as IOM Today writes, the figures for the sailing timetable were revealed by Treasury Minister Dr Alex Allinson when answering questions relating to the Manx Government owned ferry-company.

Currently, the Steam Packet has no plans to deploy its flagship, the Manxman (serving Douglas-Heysham year round) to also run on the route to Ireland due to certain 'limitations'.

Dr Allinson said that while Dublin has 'never been a regular port' for the Steam Packet, the fast-ferry craft, Manannan will still conduct a number of crossings to the Irish port in 2024.

The Manannan, Afloat adds has been tracked today to Douglas where the final seasonal sailing on the route connecting Liverpool ended with the high-speed craft berthing in the Manx capital on 29 October.

Three days later, the former flagship Ben-My-Chree departed Douglas to arrive at H&W’s Belfast shipyard to the repair/outfitting quay. At the adjacent Belfast Dry-Dock is where Irish Ferries Dublin-Cherbourg cruise ferry W.B. Yeats is occupying for a routine annual overhaul.

Taking its place on the Ireland-France route is the Epsilon which mostly operates Irish Ferries Dublin-Holyhead route, however the ropax was replaced by the newly chartered Norbay from P&O, having entered service on the Ireland-Wales route yesterday (see report).