The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has confirmed its flagship vessel Manxman will remain out of service until the end of November following a complex repair to its two propulsion shafts.

However, the company has now confirmed that specialist repairs being carried out in Denmark will take six to eight weeks, before the components can be returned to the UK for reassembly and testing.

The latest delay means Manxman will have been out of service for several months.

During its scheduled dry dock in July, inspections found wear on the liners of both of the vessel’s propulsion shafts and their associated bearings.

The Steam Packet said the components could not be fully inspected until the disassembly process had begun, at which point the extent of the wear became clear.

Related components which had also suffered significant wear were removed and sent for specialist repair.

Both propulsion shafts have now been transported to Denmark, where specialist companies have sourced the required materials and are carrying out the repairs.

The Manxman is currently in the Wet Basin at the shipyard in Liverpool, with the repaired shaft bearings and liners due to return to the shipyard ahead of the vessel going back into dry dock.

Once in dry dock, engineers will refit the bearings and both propulsion shafts.

Each shaft weighs more than 17 tonnes and measures 18 metres in length.

The work will then be followed by testing, sea trials and inspection by the company’s regulators before Manxman can return to service.

The Steam Packet Company also confirmed that an independent investigation is under way into the root cause of the wear.

Independent specialist marine investigators are carrying out the investigation, with the company saying it will provide an update once the work has concluded.

Managing director Brian Thomson apologised to passengers affected by the prolonged outage.

Brian Thomson, managing director of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, has said safety is the company’s highest priority as they work to get Manxman back in service

He said: ‘We recognise the frustration this outage has caused and sincerely apologise to our customers.’

‘Safety is our highest priority, and Manxman will return to service only when all work is complete and fully tested.’

Mr Thomson added that the company was confident in the revised timeline.

‘In the meantime, Ben-my-Chree, Manannan and Arrow will continue to provide the passenger and freight capacity needed to maintain our lifeline services,’ he said.

Passengers whose bookings are affected will be contacted directly by the Steam Packet Reservations Team, in travel-date order, and assisted with alternative arrangements.

The company says it will publish weekly updates until Manxman returns to service, or sooner if there is significant news.

A dedicated Manxman information and Q&A page has also been set up on the Steam Packet website for passengers with queries.