Getting back on track - IOMSPC working hard for you after Storm Darragh

As the clean up after Storm Darragh continues, here at the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company we’re working hard to get things back to normal as quickly as possible for island businesses and residents.

After consecutive cancellations due to the extreme weather conditions, Manxman was able to sail to Liverpool on Sunday, followed by an overnight sailing to Heysham.

Due to the exceptional circumstances, we were able to ship more freight trailers from Liverpool than usual, thanks to the cooperation of our colleagues at the Isle of Man Department of Infrastructure.

Manxman’s cavernous vehicle decks enable it to shift plenty of freight and private vehicles at the same time and its advanced stability system, including very large stabilisers, ensure it offers a smooth ride in the still choppy conditions.

As we’re in one of the busiest times of year, where lots of island residents and businesses are waiting on deliveries from the UK, additional resources have been brought into action in order to help clear the backlog of freight as swiftly as possible.

Prior to the storm, Ben-my-Chree was crewed and pre-positioned in Heysham in order to wait out the weather and be ready to lend a hand to shift trailers.

The former flagship will continue to run freight sailings alongside its bigger, newer partner, Manxman, until the accumulation of trailers has been cleared. While Ben’s freight capacity is less than Manxman’s, using Ben allows more private traffic on Manxman ensuring flows of goods and passengers keep moving.

Although everyone in the Company is pulling hard to get things back on track, it comes after a demanding weekend for the team. Crews on both Manxman and Ben-my-Chree were kept busy on watch throughout the weekend.

Combinations of wind, tide and waves mean that even in port storms can be dangerous for a ship and there’s a lot for crews to do ensuring lines are kept at the correct tension.

Wind speeds of over 75mph were recorded on our equipment in Douglas Harbour at the peak of the Northerly storm.

Ashore there’s been a lot of work going on behind the scenes in the offices making sure that we’re across changing forecasts, adapting logistics, keeping our partners and passengers informed about changes to the schedule so we’re in the best shape possible for catching up following the disruption.

Safety always comes first, but our job is to be out on the sea keeping the island connected, we’re proud to be the Isle of Man’s lifeline.