BEN MY CHREE

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Ferry upgrade would cost £18m, minister says

Modernising the 'Ben my Chree' would cost £18m to and the spend would not be recovered over its remaining lifespan of the ferry, the treasury minister Alex Allinson MHK said in the House of Keys on Nov 5,. The 'Ben-my-Chree' was currently operating with several outdated systems, which affected its efficiency and reliability. He outlined a list of works that would be needed to bring it up to modern standards, including an overhaul of the accommodation. uring the sitting, Chris Thomas MHK questioned the potential costs presented by Allinson and said an independent evaluation of the of the numbers provided should be carried out. Allinson told the members that a complete upgrade of the back-up vessel's propulsion system would cost between £8m and £10m. To align with standards on the ferroes 'Manannan' and 'Manxman' , the passenger accommodation needed to be upgraded at a cost of about £3.5m. The lift was dated, slow and increasingly unreliable, and replacing it would cost approximately £1.5m, and the existing life saving equipment should ideally be replaced, which would cost £2m. A further £1m would be needed to replace the antifoul paint system, and updates to control systems would require £250,000 of spending. Although the upgrades would result in a more reliable and efficient vessel, the cost would exceed the vessel's end value and would not be recoverable over its remaining lifespan.

Berthing trials were iunsuccesful

The 'Ben-my-Chree' has returned to Douglas early on Nov 1, 2024, after unsuccessful trials at Scottish ports. The vessel, primarily used as a backup to the 'Manxman', had been undergoing berthing trials with the ferry operator CalMac to assess its suitability for service on the Arran route. CalMac confirmed that the trials at the ports of Troon and Brodick proved unsatisfactory. The Ben-my-Chree had carried out berthing trials at the new ferry terminal in Liverpool before heading to Scotland. During trials in Troon and Brodick on Oct 31, while the vessel managed to berth at Brodick, it was reportedly at the edge of its operational safety limits. It would require ‘completely benign conditions’ for the ferry to berth reliably, leading to the decision not to proceed with chartering the ferry for the Arran route. The 'Ben-My-Chree'’s trials came amid challenges for CalMac, whose fleet has been under strain since the 'Caledonian Isles', the main ferry for Arran, went out of service in February. It is not expected back until mid-November. CalMac has also chartered the catamaran 'Alfred' to maintain services on the Arran route at a significant monthly cost, estimated by BBC Scotland to be £1 million. Meanwhile, the long-awaited 'Glen Sannox', under construction at the Ferguson shipyard on the Clyde, was initially scheduled for handover two weeks ago but is now not expected to enter service until January.

Sailings disrupted due to yard call

Sailings to the Isle of Man ferry will be disrupted starting on Oct 30, 2022, as the 'Ben-my-Chree' will have to undergoe repairs. The 'Manannan' will undertake daytime crossings between Douglas and Heysham during the stay at the Cammell Laird's facility, which was expected to last six days. The 'Manannan', which usually undertakes passenger sailings to Liverpool during the summer months, will remain in service until Nov 7. Overnight freight sailings will be carried out by the 'Arrow' which was recently bought by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. As a result of the changes, usual evening passenger sailings from the island to Lancashire, and the overnight return will not take place. Further details of the repair work needed have not been released.