The managing director of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has apologised to passengers and urged them to ‘please bear with us’ after it was confirmed the Manxman could remain out of service until late September.

The components, which are designed to protect the vessel's main propulsion shafts, could not be inspected until they had been removed and dismantled.

Mr Thomson said there was no option but to replace them.

‘She was in for our scheduled dry dock. We had looked at the shafts. The bearings and the shaft liners were deteriorated much more than we thought they should be,’ he said.

‘We pulled them out to have a really good look. They're not fit for purpose. There wasn't any sort of patch-up job we could do. They need to be redone, fixed properly, made seaworthy and put back to sea.’

He said the current estimate is for the vessel to return to service in ‘mid to late September’, but stopped short of guaranteeing that timetable.

‘I don't expect it to [go beyond September],’ he said. ‘I wouldn't rule that out, and I wouldn't nail my colours to the mast either. That is the date we've been given.

‘There's some extensive specialist engineering work needed doing on the shafts.’

Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Head Office
Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Head Office (Media Isle of Man )

The Steam Packet has confirmed specialist repair and machining work is now under way, but says the complexity of the repairs, combined with the need for specialist parts and engineering support from suppliers in the UK and Europe, has extended the vessel's stay in dry dock.

Questions have also been raised over why such significant wear has developed on a vessel that only entered service in 2023.

Mr Thomson, who has a background in marine surveying, said the cause had yet to be established.

‘I think this is clearly an issue where the wear is much more than we think it should be as well. We'll investigate that fully and what the causes of that could be,’ he said.

‘The obvious one to mention is that it's a seawater lubrication system, which, once you add in sediments and sand and rocks, it can become an issue.

‘But we also need to look at the materials these things are made out of. Are they up to spec?’

Asked whether the problems could be linked to the build-up of silt in Douglas Harbour, where the Manxman ran aground while manoeuvring into port following storms in March last year, Mr Thomson said the possibility could not yet be discounted.

‘I wouldn't say 100% that's the cause. I don't think you can discount it either,’ he said.

He also confirmed the company is investigating whether the repairs could be covered under warranty if they are ultimately found to stem from a defect with the vessel.

‘If it is a defect with the ship, then that's certainly something we'll be looking at’, he said.

Despite the extended absence of its flagship ferry, Mr Thomson insisted the company was doing everything possible to maintain services.

Ben-my-Chree will continue operating the Heysham route, while freight vessel Arrow has returned to support freight services and the Manannan remains in operation.

‘There is going to be a bit of disruption,’ he admitted.

‘I'm really sorry for the customers who'll feel they've been messed around, but what we're trying to do is run the service as best we can with boats that aren't quite like for like.’

He also appealed for patience from passengers and urged customers not to direct frustration towards frontline staff.

‘I'd just say sorry to the customers who are affected, but please bear with us. We're trying our best,’ he said.

‘No one goes to work in the morning to get abused. We're all doing our best with the circumstances we find ourselves in.

‘We understand people are frustrated, but we have to remember the person behind the counter isn't responsible.’

The Steam Packet said customers affected by timetable changes or cancellations will be contacted by its reservations team and advised of the travel options available to them.