Heysham’s Linkspan for Steam Packet May Remain Out of Service for Months
The linkspan at Heysham, used by Steam Packet, could be out of action until April, causing travel disruptions for passengers.
Heysham, Steam Packet, Manxman, Peel Ports, UK
Heysham: The linkspan that Steam Packet ferries use is likely to be out of action until April. It’s been a bit of a hassle for everyone involved.
Peel Ports has said sorry for the trouble and is working hard to get the repairs done by April. They’re in the final stages of sorting everything out.
A spokesperson from Peel Ports mentioned that they’ve been on top of the repairs since the linkspan got damaged last year. They’re hopeful about finishing the work soon.
The Steam Packet Company has been in touch with Peel Ports since August and is relieved to hear about the timeline. They’re optimistic that travel won’t be affected during busy periods after the repairs.
It’s been a tough time for everyone, and they appreciate the patience of passengers while the repairs are underway.
Speaking of the incident, the Manxman, the Steam Packet’s flagship, had a rough time when a strong gust of wind hit it while docking at Heysham Port last August.
It ended up hitting the linkspan, but thankfully, no one was hurt. They managed to get as many passengers back to the island as possible on another ferry.
After the collision, they did a quick patch-up job to get the Manxman back in service, but it needed a full repair later on.
Since the linkspan was damaged, the Steam Packet vessels have been using a different berth, which means foot passengers have to be shuttled to the terminal by coach.
Brian Thomson, the managing director, said it was just bad luck with the weather. The ship had done that maneuver many times before, but this time, the wind caught it off guard.