Isle of Man Steam Packet Company

Infobox Company
company_name = Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
company_
company_type = Limited Company
foundation = 1830
location = Douglas, Isle of Man
key_people = Chairman Robert Quayle [http://www.steam-packet.com/SteamPacket/Important+Information+(News)/Steam+Packet+Company+Appoints+New+Chairman.htm]
CEO Mark Woodward
industry = Transportation
products =
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees =
parent = Macquarie Bank
subsid =
homepage = http://www.steam-packet.com|www.steam-packet.com
footnotes =The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company ( _gv. Sheshaght Phaggad Bree Ellan Vannin) is the oldest continuously operating passenger shipping company in the world, celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2005.

The company provides freight, passenger and vehicle services between the port of Douglas, Isle of Man and four ports in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

The Steam Packet Company is currently part of Macquarie Bank, an Australian investment bank.

Current routes

The routes which the Steam Packet Company operates are:
* Isle of Man to Heysham: year-round service ("Ben-my-Chree")
* Isle of Man to Liverpool: year-round service ("Viking")
* Isle of Man to Belfast: seasonal service only ("Snaefell")
* Isle of Man to Dublin: seasonal service only ("Snaefell")
* Isle of Man to Birkenhead: seasonal service only ("Ben-my-Chree")

User Agreement

The Steam Packet Company is required to fulfil the terms of a User Agreement negotiated with the IOM Government's Department of Transport. Under the 2004 extension of the Agreement, the following minimum service levels are required:

*Inbound freight capacity, 7,800 lane metres per week.
*Service to north-west UK ports, 936 return sailings per year.
*Summer-period frequency to the Liverpool port range, a daily service from April to the third week in October.
*Services to the east coast of Ireland, 63 return sailings per year.

At present the Company’s published schedule exceeds all of the above requirements, hence gaining the sole user rights to the government linkspan in Douglas Harbour.

History

Beginnings

It originated, as its name suggests, in the Isle of Man, a self-governing democracy located in the Irish Sea at the geographical centre of the British Isles. Although it is not part of the United Kingdom, the Island is a Crown dependency.

There had been various shipping companies serving the Island before the formation of this company in 1830, but such crossings were irregular and vessels used were unreliable. As a result the Island could be cut off for weeks. The Manx people began to feel it was essential that they should have their own dedicated service and eventually a meeting was held in Douglas (the capital of the island) in 1829 from which was formed a committee charged with finding out the cost of a Steam Packet.

On June 30, 1830, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company was born when the brand new vessel, "Mona’s Isle", built at a cost of £7,250, sailed from Douglas to Liverpool on its very first sailing. Since that time, the Company has attempted to adhere to its founding principles of providing a dedicated and reliable sea service for the Isle of Man and its people.

War service

Vessels and crews of the company were actively involved in both the World War I and World War II, acquitting themselves with honour in both instances. One vessel, "King Orry", which was attached to the British Grand Fleet, had the distinction of leading the German Fleet into Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands at the end of World War I.

During World War I, eleven out of a total fleet of 15 Steam Packet ships were requisitioned by the Admiralty, four of which were lost, three retained by the Government and four returned to service. Another vessel, "Viking" was one of the first (if not the very first) vessel to be converted to an aircraft carrier, serving as HMS "Vindex" and, in so doing, making a significant contribution to aviation and maritime history. _gv. "Ben-my-Chree" and "Manxman" also served as aircraft/seaplane carriers.

In World War II, ten of the fleet of sixteen ships were commandeered for active duty, four of which were lost. The Dunkirk evacuation was perhaps the company's finest hour, with "‘Mona’s Isle’" (not the original ship) being the first to leave Dover and the first to complete the round trip during the evacuation. Eight company ships took part in this historic mission, rescuing a grand total of 24,699 British troops, 1 in 14 of those evacuated from Dunkirk, from surrender or death.

Vehicle transport

The Steam Packet Company introduced a number of car ferries beginning with the "Manx Maid" in 1962. It now also operates a fast ferry service with the HSC "Viking" and the HSC "Snaefell".

Today

The company still provides regular services. Both high speed craft and a conventional vessel make up the current fleet. In return for exclusive use of the port areas at Douglas, the Steam Packet Company has made a guarantee of regular services to the Manx Government.

In addition to the regular routes, the Company operates a small number of special day excursions to other destinations or round the Isle of Man during the summer months. Extra sailings are scheduled during times of high demand such as the TT period. The company also operates its own in-house travel agency.

2008 Rebranding

In June 2007, a new CEO, Mark Woodward, was appointed and since then has promised to improve the company's services and to return to the classic livery and promote the Island's culture.

The first part of the rebranding was first exercised with the "Sea Express 1" becoming "Snaefell" and "SuperSeaCat Two" becoming "Viking".

The fleet received a brand new livery, replacing the old SeaCo livery, much to the delight of enthusiasts. The vessels received complete internal refits which reflected the company's new colours and the rebranding of the company's on board lounges.

The terminals also received rebranding, with the announcements being accompanied by "Moghrey mie" (Good morning) or "Fastyr mie" (Good afternoon/evening), obviously depending on what time it is.

The company's first class and members club were renamed, with 1st becoming the Manannan Premium Club and the Blue Riband became the Manannan Executive Club respectively.

Ownership

In 1996, The Steam Packet Company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Sea Containers Ltd headed by James Sherwood, who had pioneered the fast craft operation. In July 2003, the Company was sold to Montagu Private Equity for £142 million, previously named HSBC Private Equity Ltd.

In 2005, the company was purchased by major Australian finance firm Macquarie Bank for £225 million, who also bought Wightlink, the Isle of Wight ferry company for £230 million.

IOMSPC fleet

The company originally started utilising wooden paddle steamers, which soon gave way to the steel "screw" vessels. The "screw" vessels were superseded by turbine steamers, the first being the 1905 [TSS Viking|"Viking" [1] . The company then replaced the passenger-only steamers with sideloading car ferries, the first diesel car ferry being the 1972 [MV Mary the Queen|"Mona's Queen" [5] . Fastcraft then became the next generation of vessels to operate for the company, the first being the HSC "SeaCat Isle of Man". The company now operates a mixed fleet of two fastcraft and one RO-PAX conventional ferry, the "Ben-my-Chree" [6] . In 2009, the current fastcraft "Viking" [2] is due to be replaced by "Incat 050" - suitably renamed.

Current fleet

"The Sideloaders"

The company developed a design of sideloading car ferries, with a spiral ramp at the stern. These could operate (as car ferries) from ports which were not equipped with linkspans. This design is unique to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company still today.

2007 accident

On 3 February, 2007, "Sea Express 1" (formerly "SeaCat Isle of Man") collided with the cargo ship "Alaska Rainbow" in heavy fog in the River Mersey. None of the 294 passengers and crew was hurt, and the ferry was moored at Liverpool Pier Head while water was being pumped from the engine room, a number of cars remained on board. She was later towed to the Cammell Laird basin in Birkenhead where all cars remaining aboard were offloaded. On 14 March, 2007, the "Sea Express 1" was relaunched. In the meantime alternative service was provided by the only conventional ship. [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6327539.stm|title=Seacat collides with cargo ship|work=BBC News|date=2007-02-03|accessdate=2007-02-03] In December 2007, the vessel was renamed to become the sixth "Snaefell".

Filmography

Steam Packet ships have been used in a number of films. Examples include "Chariots of Fire" where the team travel on a Steam Packet vessel with the Liver Building clearly visible. In the Barbra Streisand film, "Yentl" the ship carrying emigrants to the United States at the end of the film is the "Manxman". The "Ben-my-Chree" [6] was used in 2004 as a double for an English Channel ferry in the film "On a Clear Day".

See also

* _gv. "Ellan Vannin"
*HMS "Ben-my-Chree"

References

* Most of the contents of this article have come from the [http://www.steam-packet.com/ company's own web site] .
* "Working the Sea", television documentary, BBC North West (2006) ( [http://www.bbc.co.uk/isleofman/content/articles/2006/08/01/working_the_sea_feature.shtml "Working the Sea" feature - BBC Isle of Man website] )

Notes

External links

* [http://www.steam-packet.com/SteamPacket/Book-Now/Book-Now Official Website]
* [http://www.maib.gov.uk/latest_news/sea_express_1_alaska_rainbow_report_published.cfm Marine Accident Investigation Branch: report into the "Sea Express 1" & "Alaska Rainbow" collision (September 2007)]
* [http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/IOMSP1.html Picture postcards of Steam Packet vessels from 1830 to the present day]