The Ben-my-Chree is to go into dry dock to let engineers investigate an unexplained vibration from one of the propellers.
The Steam Packet’s conventional car ferry will undertake her scheduled 7.45pm sailing to Heysham on Monday then head to dry dock on Merseyside the next morning.
She will leave dry dock on Wednesday evening and resume her schedule with the 2.15am sailing from Heysham on Thursday.
Fast craft Manannan will operate Ben-my-Chree daytime services to and from Heysham on Tuesday and Wednesday. She will leave Douglas at 8.45am with the return sailing from Heysham at 2.15pm, with a passage time of about two hours.
Passengers on the original 3pm and 7.15pm sailings have automatically been transferred to the new sailings and should check in no later than 45 minutes before departure.
Passengers booked to travel on the cancelled 2.15am sailings from Heysham and the 7.45pm sailings to Heysham on Tuesday and Wednesday will be contacted to discuss alternatives.
MV Arrow will provide freight cover.
Steam Packet chief executive Mark Woodward said: ‘Ben-my-Chree is operating her normal schedule at present and there is absolutely no concern with regard to passenger or vessel safety. However, we believe the noise may be caused by the replacement propeller blades fitted during her recent statutory overhaul by the manufacturers.
‘With the TT period, our busiest time of year, so close and with all our vessels operating at peak capacity we simply cannot afford to take any chances. We believe taking this precautionary measure is the most sensible option to ensure we have reliable services throughout the TT period.
‘We have tried to minimise the impact on our passengers and freight customers by adding a Heysham service for Manannan on Tuesday and Wednesday and bringing in MV Arrow. This situation once again underlines the importance of the significant investment we made to secure this back-up vessel to protect island services.’
Source: IOM Today
