Ferry services to and from the Isle of Man are facing further delays as repair work continues on the Steam Packet Company’s fleet.

The fast craft Manannan left Douglas almost two hours late for its scheduled 07:00 BST sailing to Dublin. Meanwhile, the Ben-My-Chree’s Heysham departure was postponed by four hours, eventually leaving at 12:30.

The company said the delay was due to damage to fire drencher pipework on the vehicle deck during freight loading in Heysham. Although a temporary exemption allowed the ship to sail, permanent repairs were required in Douglas.

Because the system is considered “safety critical,” the firm said repairs had to be completed before the vessel could resume normal service, causing knock-on disruption to the rest of the day’s timetable.

Both ships also arrived late back in Douglas following overnight sailings aimed at easing a backlog created by earlier cancellations of the Manxman. The flagship vessel remains out of action after smoke was detected in a machine room earlier this week, prompting an emergency response on board.

With the Manxman suspended, the Ben-My-Chree has been carrying freight while the Manannan has taken passengers on overnight routes to keep services running.

The disruption comes at one of the busiest times of the year, as thousands of visitors travel to the island for the Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT races over the bank holiday weekend. Photo by Philphos, Wikimedia commons.