After almost 40 years of service, Mezeron’s Silver River has left Ramsey for the final time.

Richard Radcliffe took this shot of her as she departed the harbour on Wednesday afternoon.

The cargo vessel is currently en-route to the German port of Buesum where she will begin the next chapter of her story.

She had been up for sale with Dutch boat dealer Dick van der Kamp Shipsales with an asking price of $330,000.

Her replacement, a larger boat named Snaefell River, arrived just after Christmas.

Steve Walton, managing director at Mezeron, posted on Facebook: ‘This vessel has faithfully served the island through many challenging times.

‘The crew and team have always gone above and beyond to ensure the island’s needs are met.

‘Fair winds and following seas, Silver River.’

The vessel that replaces her has had something of a chequered past.

In Snaefell River’s previous incarnation as CEG Orbit, it ran aground on the northern coast of the Isle of Man at Cranstal.

The then Latvian-registered freighter had been sailing from Liverpool to Belfast with a cargo of wheat grain in August 2021 when it came to grief.

She was refloated at the second attempt the following day with the help of a Manx tug boat.

CEG Orbit then made way under her own power to Douglas harbour where further inspection revealed minor propeller damage on two blades, a dent to the starboard aft bilge keel, but no hull breaches or cracked welds.

A Maritime Safety Investigation report found that ship’s bridge had been left unattended when the chief officer had an urgent need to go to the toilet.

CEG Orbit carried that name between March 2020 and February 2022 when it was purchased by a Cypriot company and became Laila. It was renamed Snaefel River after its purchase by Mezeron and now sails under the Manx flag.