The Ben-my-Chree’s schedule has been disrupted today after its engines failed in Douglas harbour last night.
Steam Packet engineers have now completed, and tested, repairs to the Ben-my-Chree’s damaged propeller system.
The Ben was expected to leave for Heysham at about 11.45am.
The scheduled return from Heysham at 2.15pm is now expected to leave around 5.15pm. Passengers are requested to check in no later than 3.30pm.
There will also be a delay to sailings this evening and overnight while the Ben attempts to return to its normal schedule.
Mark Woodward, chief executive, said ‘I would like to pay tribute to the on-board engineering team who have worked tirelessly through the night, supplemented byour shore based engineers, to identify and repair the damage to the Ben’s propeller system.
‘Also to the operations and reservations teams ashore who have worked to keep our passengers and freight customers updated.’
‘Once again I would like to apologise to our passengers for the inconvenience, and wish all our visitors and residents a safe and speedy return from the half term break.’
Last night passengers disembarked about four hours later than they should have after the ship suffered engine failure in Douglas harbour.
{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/ben-my-chree-docks-eventually-1-7104844|Read last night’s story here.}
Fire crews and police were called after Ben-My-Chree lost control in the harbour.
The vessel’s stern hit the Battery Pier and a fishing boat at its mooring.
Fire crews assisted team Packet staff to secure lines so that the vessel could be tied alongside the pier so that work could be carried out on the vessel.
The Ben-My-Chree and the fishing boat were found to have suffered only superficial damage.
Harbour divers were called onto check the Ben-My-Chree for any signs of damage to the ships propellers and steering before it could be relocated to berth one, Victoria Pier, using a tug boat. Passengers and vehicles were then able to disembark.
It was suspected that fishing gear had become tangled around a propeller.
But divers found no evidence of that.