MV Manxman
ex HMD 8311
© Stephen Brown (Belfast, 31/07/2023)
Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 2023 by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, South Korea (Yard No 8311) as a Ro-Ro/Passenger Ship for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Douglas, Isle of Man
Technical Data
- Length: 133 m (overall) m (between perpendiculars)
- Breadth: 26.0 m
- Depth: m
- Draught: 5.2 m
- Tonnage: 24161 gross/ net/ t deadweight
- Engines: 2 x Wärtsilä 31 10-cylinder diesel engines & 2 x Wärtsilä 31 8-cylinder diesel engines
- Power: kW/HP
- Speed: 19.0 knots
- Capacity: 948 passengers/237 cars
- Call Sign: MLHL7
- MMSI Number: 232041396
- IMO Number: 9917244
- Port of Registry: Douglas/Isle of Man 🇮🇲
Current AIS Location
Please note that this specific vessels AIS position data may be over an hour old and that the vessels position will only be displayed when it is within range of the VesselFinder AIS system. The AIS transponder/ship position data featured on this page is intended for information purposes only and it is in no way related to the 'Safety of Navigation at Sea'. All the AIS ship position data featured within this article is provided by VesselFinder and we are therefore not responsible for its content or its accuracy.
History
July 31st 2020: Ordered at a cost of £78,000,000
December 24th 2021: Keel laid
© Hyundai Mipo Dockyard
April 2022: Floated out.
June 14th 2022: Launched.
© Hyundai Mipo Dockyard
December 10th 2022: During trials technical problems with her gearbox. Returned to yard.
© Lappino (Ulsan, South Korea 26/02/2023)
April 2023: Further trials
April 20th 2023: Completed.
© Hyundai Mipo Dockyard
May 3rd 2023: Christened by Geraldine Ugland (wife of Norwegian shipping magnate, Lars T Ugland). Vessels name (as per tradition, painted in gold for her first year in service).
May 10th 2023: Delivered to Owner/Operator: Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.
© Hyundai Mipo Dockyard
May 11th 2023: Officially transferred to owner.
May 13th 2023: Left Korea for UK (via Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Muscat, Jeddah and Suez).
June 24th 2023: Arrived Southampton.
© Gary Davies (Maritime Photographic)
July 2nd 2023: Arrived Douglas.
July 9th 2023: Official welcoming ceremony at Douglas followed by trials and familiarisation at the port.
July 11th 2023: Maiden visit to Heysham.
July 27th 2023: Further trials at Douglas.
July 27th 2023: Further trials at Heysham and Douglas.
July 31st 2023: Arrived Belfast.
© Luke Wilson (Belfast, 31/07/2023)
July 31st 2023: Arrived in Douglas.
“Manxman will initially only carry out daytime sailings (departing Isle of Man 08:45, departing Heysham 14:15) for a period of approximately four weeks. Ben-my-Chree will run the overnight sailings for this period, with a slightly later departure time of 20:15 from Douglas, departing Heysham for the return sailing at 02:15. The slightly later departure time from Douglas will allow for operational flexibility around berths.
At the end of the four week period of daytime only sailings, Manxman will undertake the previously announced cruise, before commencing four weeks of night time sailings, with Ben-my-Chree switching to the daytime schedule.
The split schedule allows Ben-my-Chree to immediately take over if for any reason Manxman has to be taken out of service during the working up period with minimal disruption to the schedule. At the end of the working up period Manxman will take over fully on the Heysham route, with Ben-my-Chree entering fleet reserve status.”
August 17th 2023: Inaugural, passenger carrying, sailing from Douglas.
August 20th 2023: Conducted a round island “Excursion”.
October 8th 2023: After having set sail from Douglas had to return to port owing to a “technical fault”. Remained in Douglas.
October 10th 2023: Sailed for Heysham but had to operate at reduced speed owing to persistent “technical Fault”.
November 9th 2023: Sailings cancelled owing “the activation of the vessel’s sprinkler system”.
December 24th 2023: Inaugural passenger service Heysham – Belfast.
🆕 © Luke Wilson (Belfast, 24/12/2023)
All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, Stephen Brown, Gary Davies (Maritime Photographic), Lappino and Luke Wilson for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
