Steam Packet Warns Of Disruption To Sailings

[b4mbi]

1 hour ago, AlanShimmin said:

The Nation's Propaganda Mouthpiece was also saying how the charter would earn the Packet £250k... so surely they'll be shouldering some of the cost for the breakdown?

 

Nice contract if they've negotiated all the profit but none of the cost... 

it may reduce slightly the earnings from the subcharter, but IOMSPC won't be responsible for the costs.

IOMSPC have long term (maybe 2/3/4/5 years?) chartered the Arrow at for example £5,000 per day.

This gives IOMSPC the right to instruct the vessel to go where IOMSPC wants it to go (subject to charter party) and receive the freight income from the ro-ro cargo, from which they pay the hire to owners and IOMSPC pay for fuel.

Owners responsible for operating costs of the vessel (crew, insurance, maintenance) not IOMSPC.

Clearly they can also sub-charter the vessel as they have done to Cal Mac for shorter periods.

If that charter to Cal Mac was for say 90 days at £7750 you'd reach your approx £250k profit on the 90 day hire (£2,750 x 90). However, if vessel is off-hire due to technical issues, Cal Mac don't pay IOMSPC the £7,750, but on other hand IOMSPC don't pay owners (Seatruck )the £5,000

Would only be for the period that vessel is "Off-hire" that IOMSPC would miss out on their £2750 margin and how long that is depends on severity of the breakdown and how long it takes owners to fix it, so that vessel can go "on-hire" again.

Don't know details of the breakdown, but a minor breakdown should be fixed within a few hours, max a couple of days.

(damn, hope I'm not turning into Barry Stevens)....

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by b4mbi

[Gladys]

29 minutes ago, b4mbi said:

 

(damn, hope I'm not turning into Barry Stevens)....

 

No, you post factual and knowledgeable sense.  Also, you have not shown an in-depth knowledge of toilet cleaning.  

[AlanShimmin]

1 hour ago, b4mbi said:

it may reduce slightly the earnings from the subcharter, but IOMSPC won't be responsible for the costs.

IOMSPC have long term (maybe 2/3/4/5 years?) chartered the Arrow at for example £5,000 per day.

This gives IOMSPC the right to instruct the vessel to go where IOMSPC wants it to go (subject to charter party) and receive the freight income from the ro-ro cargo, from which they pay the hire to owners and IOMSPC pay for fuel.

Owners responsible for operating costs of the vessel (crew, insurance, maintenance) not IOMSPC.

Clearly they can also sub-charter the vessel as they have done to Cal Mac for shorter periods.

If that charter to Cal Mac was for say 90 days at £7750 you'd reach your approx £250k profit on the 90 day hire (£2,750 x 90). However, if vessel is off-hire due to technical issues, Cal Mac don't pay IOMSPC the £7,750, but on other hand IOMSPC don't pay owners (Seatruck )the £5,000

Would only be for the period that vessel is "Off-hire" that IOMSPC would miss out on their £2750 margin and how long that is depends on severity of the breakdown and how long it takes owners to fix it, so that vessel can go "on-hire" again.

Don't know details of the breakdown, but a minor breakdown should be fixed within a few hours, max a couple of days.

(damn, hope I'm not turning into Barry Stevens)....

 

Thanks for that. Makes sense now.

[b4mbi]

18 minutes ago, AlanShimmin said:

Thanks for that. Makes sense now.

you're welcome 

[Andy Onchan]

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/heysham-sailings-tonight-in-doubt/

I know the Master has the last say on whether a vessel should go to sea or not but I do wonder if there are other non-technical/seafaring reasons or other parties involved that might influence the Master's call.

I know the last few days' weather has been pretty horrendous but at one time the BMC would seemingly have no issues with going out in a force 7. Or is it me?

[John Wright]

4 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/heysham-sailings-tonight-in-doubt/

I know the Master has the last say on whether a vessel should go to sea or not but I do wonder if there are other non-technical/seafaring reasons or other parties involved that might influence the Master's call.

I know the last few days' weather has been pretty horrendous but at one time the BMC would seemingly have no issues with going out in a force 7. Or is it me?

It’s not just the conditions at sea during passage, but the harbour conditions and tide at both ends.

Just like EZY they want to complete the rotation, both ways. Not get stuck at Heysham overnight.

Heysham hasn’t been fully dredged, still. There was a dredger there on Thursday. It’s a difficult port at low tide and in wind, to negotiate the swing around.

[Banker]

13 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/heysham-sailings-tonight-in-doubt/

I know the Master has the last say on whether a vessel should go to sea or not but I do wonder if there are other non-technical/seafaring reasons or other parties involved that might influence the Master's call.

I know the last few days' weather has been pretty horrendous but at one time the BMC would seemingly have no issues with going out in a force 7. Or is it me?

Used to go in all weather, remember some really bad conditions but still sailed. The younger captains are reluctant to sail in bad weather in case of any accidents to ship or passengers leading to claims or being on their records 

[John Wright]

7 minutes ago, Banker said:

Used to go in all weather, remember some really bad conditions but still sailed. The younger captains are reluctant to sail in bad weather in case of any accidents to ship or passengers leading to claims or being on their records 

I’m not sure it matters, unless it’s directly against company written policy or could be construed as grossly negligent.

When I was a newly qualified Notary, 40 years ago, I used to see the masters regularly. They’d ring and want to attend to protest the perils of the sea.

Historically most notaries worked from great commercial centres or at at ports and harbors. They were often called on to take a sea protest or marine protest made by masters (captains) or by merchants who shipped goods or chartered vessels. The notarial act was to authenticate the marine protest, similar to attesting an affidavit or receiving an acknowledgment.

A marine protest is a declaration by the captain of the facts regarding a loss or damages during a voyage, due to perils of the sea, storms, bad weather, accidents, collisions, emergencies, and the actions taken by the captain and crew. It’s a preservation of evidence.

Protests might be used as evidence against the captain or the owners, so they had to be made carefully, based on the facts from the captain’s log-book, and from the memory of the captain or his first mate, or other trustworthy mariners.

Protests could also be made by the captain against the charterers of a ship, or the consignees of goods, for not loading or unloading the ship according to contract or within reasonable delays; by the merchant against the captain for negligence, misconduct, drunkenness, etc.; for not proceeding to sea with due dispatch;
for not signing bills of lading in the customary form, and for other irregularities.

It was a precaution in cases involving loss or damage to the cargo or the vessel, or to people on board, or any unusual event, which was likely to arouse suspicion or to become the subject of litigation, liability, or an insurance claim.  Failure of the captain to make a protest immediately upon arrival at a port where he could do so was considered gravely delinquent.

I’ve not done one for years. Perhaps they use someone else or perhaps they don’t sail in as severe weather.

[Banker]

3 minutes ago, John Wright said:

perhaps they don’t sail in as severe weather.

I think it’s this reason 

[Andy Onchan]

I pretty much expected the above responses as my reason for making my original comment was because I was told in no uncertain terms that the RMT have a voice in the decision making process, ie. withdrawal of labour because the sea is too rough.

So who runs IOMSPCo, the Company or the RMT?

Just askin'. 😉

[Non-Believer]

There's been plenty of pictures of the old side-loaders making crossings in horrendous weather/sea conditions in the past. The Ben is a "comparatively short", high-sided vessel which must surely be more affected by strong side winds? Plus potential for litigation of course. 

 

[Andy Onchan]

14 minutes ago, Non-Believer said:

There's been plenty of pictures of the old side-loaders making crossings in horrendous weather/sea conditions in the past. The Ben is a "comparatively short", high-sided vessel which must surely be more affected by strong side winds? Plus potential for litigation of course. 

 

Litigation has always been there.

[Banker]

8 minutes ago, Manx17 said:

If it can get back it will go

It’s going early at 7pm

[John Wright]

2 hours ago, Banker said:

I think it’s this reason 

Very much doubt it. I was trying irony. 

2 hours ago, Andy Onchan said:

I pretty much expected the above responses as my reason for making my original comment was because I was told in no uncertain terms that the RMT have a voice in the decision making process, ie. withdrawal of labour because the sea is too rough.

So who runs IOMSPCo, the Company or the RMT?

Just askin'. 😉

Another conspiracy theory. Obviously there’ll be Union input into any H&S committee. But not in the decision to sail or not.

The side loaders and the sisters didn’t sail in all weathers. They did far fewer sailings per year/lifetime. 

The Ben has a good record. 4 sailings a day in year in/year out. Yes, it’s less manoeuvrable in wind. There are no tugs. Heysham is silted. But that’s not the fault of the Ben or the Master.

The attempted comparison between current boats and historic ones is one of those apples and oranges don’t compare exercises in futility.

[Non-Believer]

I'm just reading an article in this weekend's Indy (P3) that's covering a response to a Tynwald question by Stu Peters to David Ashford re. Steam Packet fares and the setting. Stu suggested that there might be an economic benefit in lowering fares.

David Ashford responded (q/unq) that, "The IoMSPCo operates at arms length from Govt and it's the responsibility of the Board to set ticket prices" All well and good.

However, a few months ago when that nice Mr Thomson joined the Board of the Steamie, he said this...

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by Non-Believer
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