Ministers raised doubts about 'long-term suitability' of Manxman

Government ministers sought assurances over the long-term reliability of Manxman after major propulsion system defects left the vessel facing months out of service.

Internal correspondence, released following a Freedom of Information request from Manx Radio, shows concerns extended beyond the immediate impact on sailings.

Minutes from a Council of Ministers discussion record concerns about the future of the £80 million vessel in light of its current issues. 

Repair costs are estimated at more than £2.5 million.

'Long-term suitability' 

The documents released show that ministers were questioning what the findings could mean for future fleet investment plans.

They said: "It is recognised that the precise causes of the current issues affecting Manxman have yet to be fully established and that detailed engineering investigations are still underway.

“It would therefore be premature to draw conclusions before the relevant technical assessments have been completed. 

"Nevertheless, ministers raised broader questions regarding the vessel's long-term suitability for operations in the Irish Sea, including considerations around reliability, operational resilience in adverse weather conditions and overall fitness for the company's service requirements."

Manxman entered extended dry dock after engineers discovered significant wear to propeller shafts, shaft liners and seawater-lubricated bearings during scheduled maintenance.

You can find out more HERE.

Government papers state the deterioration was greater than would normally be expected for a vessel of Manxman’s age and prompted further investigations into possible causes, including contamination, debris, silt ingress or a material defect.

'Flexible and highly capable' 

The Steam Packet Company has defended the vessel and insisted the repairs are being carried out to secure its long-term future.

Documents show that Managing Director Brian Thomson said: “Extending the dry dock is necessary for safety and operational reliability.

“Completing these additional works now will ensure the vessel can continue to provide a reliable and dependable service in the years ahead.”

Company Chairman Dan Clague also sought to reassure stakeholders, over confidence in the vessel, describing Manxman as ‘a flexible and highly capable vessel’.

He said the company was using lessons learned from the outage to inform future fleet procurement, adding that operational experience with Manxman, including issues relating to ‘reliability, resilience and service performance in Irish Sea conditions’, was helping shape plans for the proposed replacement of Manannan.

Future

Treasury Minister Chris Thomas revealed that Manx taxpayers are paying for the repairs to Manxman - you can find out more HERE.

He also told Manx Radio government should have input into the situation: