Isle of Man Steam Packet Company

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Manannan approaching Douglas Harbour

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company is the oldest continuously operating passenger shipping company in the world, celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2005.

The company provides freight, passenger and vehicle services between the port of Douglas, Isle of Man and four ports in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

The Steam Packet Company is currently part of Macquarie Bank, an Australian investment bank.

Current routes

The routes which the Steam Packet Company operates are:

Douglas - Heysham: All Year-Round Service
Douglas - Liverpool: All Year-Round Service
Douglas - Fleetwood: Summer Only
Douglas - Birkenhead: November to March
Douglas - Dublin: Easter to September & Christmas
Douglas - Belfast: Easter to September
Liverpool - Dublin: Summer Only (operated by Isle Of Man Steam Packet SeaWays)

User Agreement

The Steam Packet Company is required to fulfil the terms of a User Agreement negotiated with the IOM Government's Department of Transport.Template:Citation needed Under the 2004 extension of the Agreement, the following minimum service levels are required:

Inbound freight capacity, 7,800 lane metres per week.
Service to north-west UK ports, 936 return sailings per year.
Summer-period frequency to the Liverpool port range, a daily service from April to the third week in October.
Services to the east coast of Ireland, 63 return sailings per year.

At presentTemplate:When the Company’s published schedule exceeds all of the above requirements, hence gaining the sole user rights to the government linkspan in Douglas Harbour,Template:Citation needed and thus, a monopoly on sea passenger transport to and from the Isle of Man.

Template:As of the company is under investigation by a Select Committee of Tynwald, the Isle of Man's parliament. One of the concerns of Tynwald is the annual published profit margins by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, which according to Hansard, are 36% - almost three times the industry standard for ferry companies throughout the world.Template:Citation needed

History

Beginnings

There had been various shipping companies serving the Isle of Man before the formation of this company in 1830, but such crossings were irregular and vessels used were unreliable. As a result the Island could be cut off for weeks at a time. The Manx people felt it was essential they should have their own dedicated service. A meeting was held in the island's capital Douglas in 1829, from which was formed a committee charged with finding out the cost of acquiring a Steam Packet.

On 30 June 1830, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company was born when the brand new vessel, Mona’s Isle, built at a cost of £7,250, sailed from Douglas to Liverpool on its very first sailing.

War service

Vessels and crews of the company were actively involved in both the World War I and World War II. One vessel, King Orry, which was attached to the British Grand Fleet, led the German High Seas Fleet into Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands at the end of World War I. Another vessel, Viking was converted to become a seaplane carrier, serving as HMS Vindex.

During World War II, 11 out of a total fleet of 15 Steam Packet ships were requisitioned by the Admiralty; four of which were lost, three retained by the Government and four returned to service. Template:Lang and Manxman also served as aircraft/seaplane carriers.

In World War II, ten of the fleet of sixteen ships were commandeered for active duty, four of which were lost. The Dunkirk evacuation was perhaps the company's finest hour, with Mona’s Isle (not the original ship) being the first to leave Dover and the first to complete the round trip during the evacuation. Eight company ships took part in this mission, rescuing a total of 24,699 British troops – 1 in 14 of those evacuated from Dunkirk.Template:Citation needed

Vehicle transport

The Steam Packet Company introduced a number of car ferries beginning with the Manx Maid in 1962 then the Ben-my-Chree (1966), Mona's Queen (1972) and then the Lady of Mann (1976). All four of the company's first car ferries were all side loading. The first ferry they bought that was a stern loader was the Mona's Isle (6). It now also operates a fast ferry service with the Manannan, Snaefell, SeaCat Rapide, SuperSeaCat One, Viking and Manxcat.

Merger

The 1980's were tough times for the Steam Packet. Declining passenger numbers and strong competition from Manx Line brought the company close to collapse. In February 1985 Manx Line merged with the Steam Packet.

Today

The company still provides regular services. Both high speed craft and a conventional vessel make up the current fleet. In return for exclusive use of the port areas at Douglas, the Steam Packet Company has made a guarantee of regular services to the Manx Government.

In addition to the regular routes, the Company operates a small number of special day excursions to other destinations or round the Isle of Man during the summer months. Extra sailings are scheduled during times of high demand such as the TT period. The company also operates its own in-house travel agency.

2008 Rebranding

Ben-my-Chree entering Douglas Harbour.

In June 2007, a new CEO, Mark Woodward, was appointed and since then has promised to improve the company's services and to return to the classic livery and promote the Island's culture.

The first part of the rebranding was first exercised with the Sea Express 1 becoming Snaefell and SuperSeaCat Two becoming Viking, which is now chartered to Hellenic SeaWays.

The fleet received a brand new livery, replacing the old SeaCo livery, whilst all fleet members received complete internal refits which reflected the company's new colours and the rebranding of the company's on board lounges.

The terminals also received rebranding, with the announcements being accompanied by "Moghrey mie" (Good morning) or "Fastyr mie" (Good afternoon/evening), obviously depending on what time it is.

The company's first class and members club were renamed, with 1st Lounge becoming the Manannan Premium Lounge and the Blue Riband became the Manannan Executive Club respectively.

Ownership

In 1996, The Steam Packet Company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Sea Containers Ltd headed by James Sherwood, who had pioneered the fast craft operation. In July 2003, the Company was sold to Montagu Private Equity for £142 million, previously named HSBC Private Equity Ltd.

In 2005, the company was purchased by major Australian finance firm Macquarie Bank for £225 million.

IOMSPC fleet

Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Fleet 2009

The company originally started utilising wooden paddle steamers, which soon gave way to the steel "screw" vessels. The "screw" vessels were superseded by turbine steamers, the first being the 1905 Viking [I]. The company then replaced the passenger-only steamers with sideloading car ferries, the first diesel car ferry being the 1972 Mona's Queen [V]. Fastcraft then became the next generation of vessels to operate for the company, the first being the HSC SeaCat Isle of Man. The company now operates a mixed fleet of seven fastcraft, one RO-PAX conventional ferry, the Ben-my-Chree [VI] and the side loading car ferry the Lady Of Mann [II].

"Pre-War Steamers"

The company built five steamers over ten years from 1927. They were the replacements for the various second-hand steamers that the company purchased to replace its World War I losses.

Ship	Built	Entered service	Route	Gross Tonnage	Notes
Ben-my-Chree [IV]	1927	1927	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Requisitioned (1939–46), scrapped 1965.
Lady of Mann [I]	1930	1930	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Largest SPC ship until superseded by King Orry [V], requisitioned (1939–46), scrapped 1971.
Mona's Queen [III]	1934	1934	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Sunk (mined) at Dunkirk, 1940.
Fenella [II]	1937	1937	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Sunk (bombed) at Dunkirk, 1940.
Tynwald [IV]	1937	1937	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Sunk (torpedoed) off Bougie, 1942.

"The Six Sisters"

The last turbine steamer in the fleet was the Manxman, introduced in 1955 and withdrawn in 1982, but still in existence and awaiting restoration in 2008. All six of the "The Six Sisters" were built at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead.

Ship	Built	Entered service	Route	Gross Tonnage	Notes
King Orry [IV]	1945	1946	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Decommissioned 1975, scrapped 1979.
Mona's Queen [IV]	1946	1946	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Decommissioned and sold 1962, scrapped 1981.
Tynwald [V]	1947	1947	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Decommissioned and scrapped 1974.
Snaefell [V]	1948	1948	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Decommissioned 1977, scrapped 1978.
Mona's Isle [V]	1950	1951	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Decommissioned and scrapped 1980.
Manxman [II]	1955	1955	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Decommissioned 1982, awaiting restoration 2008.

"The Sideloaders"

The company developed a design of sideloading car ferries, with a spiral ramp at the stern. These could operate (as car ferries) from ports which were not equipped with linkspans. This design is unique to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company still today.

Ship	Built	Entered service	Route	Gross Tonnage	Notes
Manx Maid [II]	1962	1962	Douglas — various	Template:GT	First Steam Packet car ferry. Decommissioned 1984, sold to SAOS ferries in greece, 1988, still in service.
Ben-my-Chree [V]	1965	1966	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Decommissioned 1984,Chartered for TT 1985, scrapped 1989.
Mona's Queen [V]	1972	1973	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Decommissioned 1990, sold as Mary the Queen. still operating.
Lady of Mann [II]	1975	1976	Douglas — various	Template:GT	Currently in service.

"The Current Fleet"

Ship	Built	Entered Service	Route	Gross Tonnage	Notes
Ben-My-Chree	1998	1998	Douglas - Heysham/Birkenhead	12747 GT
Lady Of Mann	1976	1976	Liverpool - Dublin/Liverpool - Douglas/Fleetwood - Douglas	3177 GT
Manannan	1998	2009	Liverpool - Douglas/Douglas - Belfast/Dublin	5029 GT
Snaefell	1991	1994	Douglas - Heysham/Liverpool/Fleetwood/Belfast/Dublin/Fleetwood - Douglas	3003 GT
SeaCat Rapide	1995	1998	Douglas - Heysham/Liverpool/Fleetwood/Belfast/Dublin/Fleetwood - Douglas	4112 GT
SuperSeaCat One	1997	1997	On charter to Acciona Trasmediterranea S.A.	4662 GT	Sees service to the Island during TT
Viking	1997	1997	On charter to Hellenic Sea Ways	4662 GT	Sees service to the Island during TT
Incat 051	1999	Not in service	On charter to Fred Olsen S.A	5191 GT
Mona (Stena Caledonia)	1981	1991	On charter to Stena Line	12619 GT	Sees service to the Island during TT
Manxcat (Avemar Dos)	1997	2000	On charter to Balearia Euroline	5517 GT	Sees service to the Island during TT

2007 accident

On 3 February 2007, Sea Express 1 (formerly SeaCat Isle of Man) collided with the cargo ship Alaska Rainbow in heavy fog in the River Mersey. None of the 294 passengers and crew was hurt, and the ferry was moored at Liverpool Pier Head while water was being pumped from the engine room, a number of cars remained on board. She was later towed to the Cammell Laird basin in Birkenhead where all cars remaining aboard were offloaded. On 14 March 2007, the Sea Express 1 was relaunched. In the meantime alternative service was provided by Ben-My-Chree to Birkenhead during the weekends, along side the regular service to Liverpool, Pier Head operated by the Lady Of Mann. In December 2007, the vessel was renamed to become the sixth Snaefell.

Filmography

Steam Packet ships have been used in a number of films. Examples include Chariots of Fire where the team travel on a Steam Packet vessel with the Liver Building clearly visible. In the Barbra Streisand film, Yentl the ship carrying emigrants to the United States at the end of the film is the Manxman. The Ben-my-Chree [6] was used in 2004 as a double for an English Channel ferry in the film On a Clear Day. The Lady of Mann was also used in the 2004 film Mickybo and Me.

References

Most of the contents of this article have come from the company's own web site.
Working the Sea, television documentary, BBC North West (2006) (Working the Sea feature - BBC Isle of Man website)

Notes

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:Steam Packet Ships no:Isle of Man Steam Packet Company

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