To Sail or Not To Sail – How A Decision Is Made In Stormy Weather

The decision to sail or not sail in bad weather is a complex and critical one, involving multiple factors to ensure the safety of our passengers, crew, and the vessels themselves.

While we are blessed to serve such an incredibly beautiful island, weather in the Irish Sea can at times be unpredictable, and in recent years we have seen this more and more. We  seem to have suffered some of the most prolonged winter weather in our history with many more named winter storms battering our coasts this year and unseasonably severe weather being seen in August.

We asked some of our Captains and operational team to tell us more about what goes into the decision making process.

Planning ahead

Captain Andy Atkinson: First and foremost, safety of passengers, crew, cargo and vessel is every captain’s number one priority. That said, our job is to take the vessel and its contents safely from one port to another, as close to schedule as possible. The best way to be safe is to be prepared. Before we set out on a crossing we’re always making and adjusting plans to respond to changes in circumstances, the sea is, by its nature, a very dynamic work environment. As we make our plans for the voyage we consider a number of key factors that feed into our decision making matrix:

Passenger Safety and Comfort

Captain Tom Turner: If the weather is likely to cause severe discomfort or safety risks for our passengers, then the Captain for the sailing may decide to delay or cancel the sailing. Ultimately, it is the Captain’s responsibility to decide whether to sail in poor weather conditions. There are a number of Captains who work for the Isle of Man Steam Packet company and collectively we have years of seagoing experience. Our decisions are based on years of experience and judgement of sailing on the Irish Sea, docking in the local ports, and assessing the weather forecasts, sea conditions, and the vessel’s capabilities. If we determine that sailing would pose undue risks, then we have to delay or cancel the voyage, even if the ship is technically capable of handling the conditions. We know this can be frustrating but passenger and crew safety is always the top priority.

Weather Forecasts, Wind Strength and Direction, and Sea Conditions

Captain Byron Whalley: We have access to a wide range of weather data to monitor the weather forecast. We use various tools, both publicly and not publicly available, to analyse all the data to make the best possible decision. If the forecast shows conditions beyond what is considered safe according to our risk assessment, then we will be forced to delay or cancel the sailing.

When looking at the forecast, wind strength and direction are key. Strong gusts not only cause dangerous and uncomfortable crossings, but make docking extremely difficult. A wind direction in one port may not be a problem, but the same strength and direction in another, may cause a big issue. The topography of the land and buildings around the ports are also affected by winds of a different direction. This is a big influence on the decision for sailing, which we’ll go on to next.

Harbour Conditions

Captain Andy Atkinson:  As mentioned before, a lot of the time, it is actually berthing the vessel safely in the harbour, rather than the crossing, that poses the biggest challenge in bad weather. As all of the ports we operate at are different, each one comes with its own challenges.

For example, in the Isle of Man – particularly in Douglas, we are largely sheltered when the wind comes from the North West, however Heysham’s landscape leaves little shelter for the vessel. The entrance to Heysham Port is incredibly narrow, which can make it difficult to manoeuvre a vessel. Manxman is 133m long but other vessels using Heysham are up to 147m long, meaning a lot of vessels must weigh up the safety of docking in Heysham in adverse weather conditions. The proximity of other vessels in the harbour must also be taken into consideration.

Combine this with an often less than ideal wind and tidal flow direction across the harbour entrance, and we have some tricky conditions for entering and leaving the port. This is one of the key reasons that bad weather can be particularly problematic for our crossings between Douglas and Heysham. We take our local knowledge of the ports and apply it to determine whether sailing is safe.

Crew Working Hours

Robert Hunter, Marine Manager:  Similar to aviation, maritime regulations dictate the numbers of hours that crew can operate daily. This requirement is in place to ensure the safety of our operation by way of avoiding crew fatigue, which may result in accidents through human error. Ferry operators are unable to operate single leg journeys without considering if and when the vessel may be able to return. This is a key consideration for Manannan, but as Manxman and Ben-my-Chree now operate as live aboard vessels, there is a greater degree of flexibility. For instance, if the windspeeds at Heysham are forecast to be above the maximum permitted for entry at the scheduled arrival time, but forecasts suggest they will moderate an hour after that, the Captain may choose to slow steam to arrive when conditions are more favourable. While the delay to arrival time is regrettable, it is preferable to a cancellation and the knock-on effects that might have.

Company, Port and International Guidelines 

James Royston, Fleet Operations Manager:  While masters have significant autonomy when it comes to making the decision on whether to sail or not to sail, as a Company, we also have to adhere to guidelines issued by ports [IOMSPC only operate vessels, all the ports we serve are operated by third parties] and national and international regulations. These outline specific weather conditions under which sailing is prohibited or discouraged. For instance, no vessel is allowed to enter Heysham Port when windspeed is above 45 knots. All our vessels follow these guidelines at all times, however, each vessel also has its own envelope of safe operational parameters – for instance Manannan has a significant wave height restriction of 3.5m and Manxman and Ben-my-Chree can’t berth on Heysham number 3 berth in winds above 25 knots.

Last updated: 24/09/2024