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IoMSPCo - Fast Craft Service Cancellations

Significant Delays 2008 Season

There are a number of shipping companies offering fast craft services on the Irish Sea, however, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company is unusual in that it places a greater reliance on fast craft than other operators. Unlike these operators the company provides limited conventional ship back up on services to England and this usually requires a land detour (via Heysham) of around 70 miles for passengers travelling to and from Liverpool - the principal UK passenger port. There is no conventional ship back-up offered on routes to Ireland.

The greater reliance on fast craft services results in adverse conditions on the Irish Sea exerting a disproportionate effect on IoMSPCo sailings to those provided by other operators. The effective monopoly granted by the Isle of Man Government through the Link Span User Agreement offers passengers a limited choice of options during periods of bad weather other than to reroute via Heysham if possible when travelling to the UK, fly or stay at home.

As a consequence of this unique situation, Irish Sea Shipping recognises public interest in the reliability of services between The Isle of Man, the UK and Ireland and maintains this page for public information purposes only.

The information recorded on this page does not imply any criticism on the part of Irish Sea Shipping - The Online Shipping Magazine nor should it be construed as such.

Red entries = cancellations

Black entries = significant delays & diversions

(BEN-MY-CHREE weather cancellations have also been included.)

For Winter Cancellation Information 2005 - 06 - click here

For Cancellations during 2006 - 2007 - click here

From March 2008
Date ShipSailingStatusNotes
March 20VIKING22:30 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - Adverse ConditionsPassengers transferred to 08:45 BMC
March 21VIKING01:45 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - Adverse Conditions 
March 21VIKING11:15 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - Adverse Conditions 
March 21VIKING15:30 Douglas - DublinCancelled - Adverse Conditions 
March 21VIKING19:15 Dublin - DouglasCancelled - Adverse Conditions 
March 28VIKING07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolVoyage Aborted after 20 minutes due to adverse conditions exceeding forecastPassengers transferred to 15:00 sailing.
March 28VIKING11:15 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - Adverse ConditionsPassengers transferred to 19:00 sailing
March 29VIKING15:00 Douglas - LiverpoolVoyage Aborted shortly after departure.Passengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree via Heysham
March 29VIKING19:00 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - Adverse ConditionsPassengers sent via Heysham and Ben-My-Chree
April 01VIKING08:45 Douglas - HeyshamCancelled - Adverse ConditionsService operated by BEN-MY-CHREE 08:45 / 14:15. The ship's dry docking being delayed to permit the additional sailing.
April 01VIKING12:00 Heysham - DouglasCancelled - Adverse Conditions
April 05VIKING07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolDischarge at Liverpool delayed until around 11:45 due to adverse conditions at the Landing Stage 
April 05VIKING11:15 Liverpool - DouglasDelayed until around 13:00
June 12VIKING07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolDiverted to Heysham Diversion due to problems with temporary linkspan at Liverpool which had been installed on June 11.
June 12VIKING11:15 Liverpool - DouglasOperated from Heysham
June 12VIKING17:45 Douglas to LiverpoolDelayed Delay due to ongoing linkspan problems at Liverpool.
June 12VIKING21:15 Liverpool to DouglasDelayed
June 13VIKING07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolDiverted to Heysham Diversion due to problems with temporary linkspan at Liverpool which had been installed on June 11.
June 14VIKING11:15 Liverpool - DouglasOperated from Heysham
June 19VIKING07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - removal of defective gear box 
June 19VIKING11:15 Liverpool DouglasCancelled  
June 22SNAEFELL10:00 Douglas - DublinCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
June 22SNAEFELL14:00 Dublin - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
June 22VIKING07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
June 22VIKING11:15 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
June 22VIKING15:00 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
June 22VIKING17:30 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
July 16VIKING07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - linkspan works at LiverpoolReplaced by  additional 14:00 Douglas to Heysham sailing and 17:00 Heysham to Douglas sailing.
July 16VIKING11:15 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - linkspan works at Liverpool
July 16VIKING15:00 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - linkspan works at Liverpool
July 16VIKING17:30 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - linkspan works at Liverpool
August 01VIKING11:15 Liverpool - Douglas Cancelled - vessel damaged on departureVIKING moved to Alexandra Dock for repairs.
August 02SNAEFELL10:00 Douglas - DublinCancelled - vessel deployed to 07:30 Douglas to Liverpool 
August 02SNAEFELL14:00 Dublin - DouglasCancelled - vessel deployed on 11:15 Liverpool to Douglas 
August 03SNAEFELL10:00 Douglas - BelfastCancelled - vessel deployed to 07:30 Douglas to Liverpool 
August 03SNAEFELL14:00 Belfast - DouglasCancelled - vessel deployed on 11:15 Liverpool to Douglas 
August 09VIKING07:30 Douglas - Liverpoolretimed to 05:00 to avoid weather 
August 09VIKING11:15 Liverpool - Douglasretimed to 09:00 to avoid weather 
August 09VIKING15:00 Douglas - Liverpoolretimed to 18:00 to avoid weather 
August 09VIKING19:00 Liverpool - Douglasretimed to 22:00 to avoid weather 
September 03VIKING11:15 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - vessel returned lightship to Douglas due to forecast adverse conditionsPassengers transferred to 14:15 Ben-My-Chree sailing.
September 05VIKING15:00 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
September 05VIKING19:00 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
September 06VIKING07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
September 06VIKING11:15 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
September 06VIKING15:00 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
September 06VIKING19:00 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
September 30SNAEFELL07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to 08:45 Ben-My-Chree sailing
September 30SNAEFELL11:15 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditions.Passengers transferred to 14:15 Ben-My-Chree sailing.
October 01SNAEFELL07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to 08:45 Ben-My-Chree sailing
October 01SNAEFELL11:15 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to 14:15 Ben-My-Chree sailing.
October 10VIKING07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree
October 10VIKING11:15 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree
October 19VIKING15:00 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree which subsequently cancelled
October 19VIKING19:00 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree which subsequently cancelled
October 19BEN-MY-CHREE19:45 Douglas - HeyshamCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
October 19BEN-MY-CHREE02:15 Heysham - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
October 20SNAEFELL07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree
October 20SNAEFELL11:15 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree
October 23SNAEFELL07:30 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree
October 23SNAEFELL11:15 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree
October 24VIKING09:30 Douglas - HeyshamCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree
October 24VIKING12:15 Heysham - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree
October 25BEN-MY-CHREE08:45 Douglas - HeyshamCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
October 25BEN-MY-CHREE14:15 Heysham - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditions 
October 25VIKING10:00 Douglas - LiverpoolCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree pm sailing
October 25VIKING19:00 Liverpool - DouglasCancelled - adverse weather conditionsPassengers transferred to Ben-My-Chree pm sailing
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