£1.5 Million investment in Steam Packet flagship Ben My Chree extension

Extended passenger accommodation will be added to The Isle of Man Steam Packet flagship Ben My Chree during its biennial overhaul in 2004.

The work will be carried out by Northwestern  Ship Repairers Ltd., Birkenhead at a cost of £1.5 million.

Ben My Chree will enter the shipyard on 6th January 2004 when the initial work will commence. The vessel will return to service around the 5th February 2004 with the final phase of the extension being completed in time for the busy Easter period.

Hamish Ross, Steam Packet Managing Director said,’ The work planned to be carried out on Ben My Chree reflects the confidence we have in this Company, the route and the Isle of Man. Since the vessel was built, the demands upon it and the Island have grown tremendously. These improvements will allow us to provide enhanced onboard facilities for our passengers including the provision of the highly popular ‘1st’ lounge found on our other vessels. The extra accommodation enabling the vessel to carry 200,000 additional passengers annually, includes a dedicated bar area and open deck space with seating and a promenade area. These enhancements will also enable the Island to grow the coach market and will provide a springboard to launch us into 2004. We are very excited about this latest major investment as we approach our 175th birthday celebrations’.

The extension plans follow the decision to operate the Company’s passenger car ferry Lady of Mann on a daily winter service between the Island and Liverpool during November and December this year.

Ben My Chree arrived in the Island in early July 1998 sailing direct from its builders van der Giessen-de Noord, Rotterdam when over 5,000 people welcomed her to the Island and inspected her from stem to stern.

The vessel broke the mould in design terms for The Steam Packet, being constructed to serve in a modern age alongside Seacat fast craft. It was also imperative for an Island community heavily dependent upon the reliability of the Company and its vessels that it was able to sustain year round services carrying both passengers and freight. Ben My Chree currently operates a twice daily year round service between Heysham and the Isle of Man.

At 12,500 tonnes Ben My Chree, the 6th Company vessel to be so named, takes her place as being the largest ship ever owned by The Steam Packet and was the first new build for the Company since the passenger car ferry Lady of Mann in 1976.