The Original document is available in the Archives
Ben-my-Chree 6 (1998) Roll on/ Rolloff passenger ferry
Signal Letters MXLG6
Builder van der Giessen-de-Nord, Rotterdam, Yard No. 971
Length 408ft, beam 77ft, draft 16ft, Gross tonnage 2,220, Passengers 500, total trailer lane length 1,235m, cost £24,500,000
Machinery: 2 x MAK 9L32 diesel engines, 2 x controllable pitch propellors, 2 x bow thrusters
1998, 6 July: Arrival at Douglas from builders
1998, 9 July: Arrived on Mersey for berthing trials, but the stern doors (weighing 38 tonnes) were too heavy for the pontoon link-span and so the new ship will not be able to use Liverpool unless she enters the enclosed dock system.
1998, 10 July: Arrived at Heysham for berthing trials. The ‘Ben’ will not fit on to Heysham linkspans 1 and 2 and so can only use No. 3, which ironically is the old Steam Packet unit from South Edward Pier in Dougles. For the future foot passengers at Heysham will need to be bused to and from the Terminal to the vessel.
1998, August: The ‘Ben’ commenced passenger services amid a storm of protest concerning her cramped open plan accomodation.
1998, October: Questions asked in the Manx Parliament, Tynwald, regarding the unsuitability of the new vessel. Sea Containers Ltd., now owners of the Steam Packet, announce plans to improve her passenger accomodation following ‘passenger comments’.
As time went on the reputation of the ‘Ben’ declined even further when sailings were regularly cancelled or disrupted by the winter weather. Soon the cry went out for the older and much-loved Lady of Mann to carry out the winter service, even though she could not carry the larger commercial vehicles and the following soon circulated within social media:
