With the Manannan making her final journeys across the Irish Sea for this year today (2 Nov), many ferry operators are debating whether the future lies with more modern conventional ferries.
Running the Manannan is a considerably more expensive option for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company when compared to the Ben-My-Chree.
And fastcraft are not able to operate over the winter months.
Chief Executive Mark Woodward says the Steam Packet is far from alone in looking at the question of fastcraft viability:
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