Myth-Busting the Manxman

The Steam Packet has hit back at critics of its new flagship by seeking to put an end to some rumours.

You will likely have read many of the claims being made about the Manxman, typically they begin with the words ‘I’ve heard’.

The now six rumours it has sought to dispel first are that the Manxman can’t sail in high winds or that she is scared of the dark (which may actually have been our fault).

The company said: ‘Manxman is designed specifically for Irish Sea weather conditions. Following discussions with Heysham Pilots, we have imposed a temporary wind restriction on movements of the vessel to/from the port whilst the crew build up their real world experience in a variety of conditions. The temporary restrictions are very common with new vessels and will be gradually eased as our Masters gain experience.

‘Please see our ‘to sail or not sail’ blog for additional details on how and why we sometimes decide not to put to sea. Passenger comfort and safety is always the company’s primary consideration and this was factored in to the bespoke design of Manxman, from the intuitive stabilising systems when the ship rolls in rough conditions, to the layout and added comfort of the passenger lounges. When conditions do deteriorate in the Irish Sea, Manxman will still be able to sail in strong winds, up to the same levels as her predecessor, Ben-my-Chree, but provide passengers with additional comfort levels.’

Addressing concerns over the Manxman not liking the nighttime sailings, the company said: ‘Manxman is fully capable of sailing at any time of day. Indeed, the vessel successfully sailed from South Korea to the Isle of Man, steaming day and night. The vessel is currently completing daytime only sailings in a scheduled working up phase. After a month of daytime sailings Manxman will complete a month of overnight sailings, before taking over the full twice daily Douglas to Heysham return service.’

The company has also rubbished claims that the Manxman’s bridge windows are too heavily tinted, by pointing out that ‘is against SOLAS regulations to have tinted glass installed on bridge windows, Manxman would not have received a certificate of seaworthiness and the Company would not have accepted it from the shipyard if such a fundamental error had occurred in her build’.

There is the weird on that all of the lifejackets had had to be replaced, the company said: ‘No new lifejackets were required. As part of the company’s continual safety management system processes, emergency drills are regularly completed on board so that the crew and vessel continue to meet the very highest safety standards. During deployment testing in the shipyard and for crew training in Douglas, many of our crew descended the MES chutes wearing these lifejackets.’

Sort of linked to this is the claim that the Manxman has to be fitted with lifeboats.

The company said: ‘It received its Passenger Ship Safety Certificate following an extremely rigorous inspection and sign off from the Isle of Man Ship Registry . In the unlikely event of an emergency, the safest location for passengers and crew is usually on board the vessel. In such situations, Manxman’s crew are fully trained to utilise the vessel’s ‘safe return to port’ facilities. The likelihood of the Master giving the call to evacuate Manxman is extremely low and only ever called upon as a last resort.

‘However should the Master make the decision to abandon ship, crew will be on hand to provide passengers with assistance every step along the way. Manxman is fitted with four Marine Evacuation Systems, which have been widely used in the ferry and cruise industry for a number of years. These are chutes and life rafts that you see in the photograph. These systems are designed to quickly discharge from the side of vessels and allow for a rapid and orderly evacuation.’

Finally, we turn to ticket pricing, which the company has said that despite claims that prices have or will go up, the Steam Packet’s prices are set in conjunction with the DoI and are regulated by the terms of the Sea Services Agreement.

It said: ‘Under the terms of the agreement, any annual price increase is limited to August Manx Consumer Price Index (‘MCPI’) figures. In 2023 the Company decided to cap its annual increase at 5%, when August 2022 MCPI was in fact 10%.