The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company’s flagship ferry Manxman has entered dry dock in Birkenhead as work continues to repair and refit its propulsion system.
The company confirmed this week that the vessel had entered dry dock at Balaena Birkenhead, where its two propulsion shafts, liners and bearings are being refitted following specialist repairs in Denmark.
The work marks the next stage in efforts to return the £78m vessel to service, with the Steam Packet still targeting a return towards the end of November.
In an update, the company said the repairs had been carried out by MarineShaft A/S, a specialist marine engineering firm based in Hirtshals, Denmark.
It described the company as one of the leading experts in the field, adding that it was fully equipped to carry out the repairs to the exacting standards required by the Steam Packet and its regulators.
MarineShaft engineers will also undertake precision machining of the shaft bearing housings on board Manxman.
Work will be carried out on the vessel’s propellers while the shafts are being reinstalled to ensure they meet the necessary operational and regulatory standards before the ferry returns to service.
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The Steam Packet thanked Balaena, MarineShaft A/S and those involved in the work for their continued expertise and collaboration.
The company said its next update would be published on Tuesday, October 27, or sooner if there was further news.
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The latest development follows the discovery of wear on Manxman’s propulsion shafts and associated components during routine dry-docking work in July.
The shafts, liners and bearings were removed from the vessel and sent to Denmark for specialist repairs, which have now been completed.
The ferry’s return to service will depend on the successful refitting and recommissioning of the components, followed by sea trials.
The Steam Packet has previously confirmed that the total cost of the repairs and dry-docking work is expected to be in the region of £5m.
The company said the cost would be met directly from its own reserves, with no recourse to Government funding.
The figure is higher than the £2.5m threshold previously notified to Treasury, which the company clarified was the point at which shareholder consent was required rather than its final estimate of the bill.
Managing director Brian Thomson has said the company has commissioned an independent report into the cause of the wear and would seek to recover costs through insurance and warranty where appropriate.
The precise cause of the damage has not yet been established.
Documents released under Freedom of Information legislation previously revealed concerns among the Steam Packet board that sediment in Douglas Harbour may have contributed to degradation of the shaft bearings and liners.
However, no definitive link has been established, and the independent report is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the wear.