Disruption possible amid Isle of Man terminal upgrade
Work on an essential upgrade of the £70m Isle of Man ferry terminal this winter could disrupt some scheduled sailings. Tony McDonough reports
There may be some disruption to services between Liverpool and the Isle of Man this winter as the £70m terminal undergoes an essential upgrade.
After several delays and rising costs, the terminal finally opened in summer 2024 just north of the cruise liner terminal on the Mersey. Now owner, the Isle of Man Government, says an installation at the facility has to be adjusted for “operational reasons”.
In berthing trials for Isle of Man Steam Packet vessels Manxman and Ben-my-Chree in 2024 it was discovered that, at lower tides, mooring lines clashed with a dolphin fender. This is a cushioning device to absorb the impact of a vessel during berthing or accidental collisions.
Some winter sailings were affected as a result. Since then, engineers have been looking at options to resolve the problem. However, work could not be carried out during the summer when the fastcraft Manannan docked at the terminal every day.
In the next few weeks the summer season will end and scheduled sailings using Manxman will be reduced to just weekends as part of the normal winter schedule.
However, the Isle of Man’s Department of Infrastructure (DoI) says the work set to be carried out on the terminal by hired Merseyside-based contractors will likely cause some disruption to services.
In a statement the Government said: “The DoI is collaborating closely with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and other stakeholders to minimise disruption.
“In the long term, the work will ensure fewer disruptions to the schedule and a more robust connection between the Isle of Man and Liverpool.
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“The work is due to take place as soon as Manannan completes the summer schedule and the tidal and weather conditions are suitable to undertake the works.”
For details of possible changes to schedules, passengers are advised to refer to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company’s website.