The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has outlined the factors taken into account when deciding whether to sail in challenging weather conditions.

The announcement came as the Isle of Man prepared for Storm Amy, with forecasters warning of gale-force winds and heavy rain.

The company cancelled eight sailings ahead of a Met Office yellow weather warning, which came into force on Friday afternoon.

In its online statement, the company said its Masters, with more than 42 years’ combined seagoing experience, are responsible for assessing the safety of each crossing and deciding whether it can proceed.

Decisions are based on a range of considerations, including marine weather forecasts from the Ronaldsway Met Office and an advanced Nowcasting system.

While forecasts are generally reliable, the company said weather can sometimes differ from predictions. In such cases, safety remains the overriding priority.

According to the Steam Packet, sailings may be cancelled if conditions present risks to passengers, crew or the vessel. Other factors include passenger comfort, wind strength and direction, harbour conditions, crew working hours regulations and the availability of tugboats.

Strong winds are particularly significant, as some ports are more exposed to certain directions. Heysham, with its narrow entrance and tidal flows, was highlighted as especially sensitive to disruption.

The Steam Packet said it complies fully with maritime rules on crew hours to prevent fatigue and ensure operational safety. Tug availability can also be critical during adverse weather.

The company said it aims to keep disruption to a minimum but that safety will always determine its decisions.

A spokesperson said: ‘While disruption to our services is never welcomed and we never wish to cause inconvenience to our customers, crew and passenger safety will always be our top priority and the weighted factor behind decisions.’