Steam Packet Warns Of Disruption To Sailings

[Capt_Mainwaring]

35 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

Interesting. Be interesting to see the real statistics rather than us all giving our perceptions. My perception is that the Manxman is a bit slower. 

I wonder if @Roger Mexico knows where the data is held. 

Yes, all depends on personal experience and just looking at those recent sailings. The overnight took longer as we know, however is that down to the berth issues at the moment (I.e. waiting on the tide to rise)? 

@Frances also makes a good point about where the timings are measured from. I'd always taken it as ropes off to ropes on (that's similar for other companies too). Hopefully the loading delays will be ironed out with experience. Although again, in my two MX trips, it was pretty slick.

[monasqueen]

Timings given on the Steam Packet website are normally "ropes off" to "all secure", as in early this morning - 

·        Heysham Departed at: 02:00 - Douglas Arrived at: 06:36.

Just a bit more than 4 hours 35!  Why??

The figures given on the ships' AIS are Douglas, "on the Head", just outside the harbour, and Heysham, somewhere around No 7 buoy. Again just outside the harbour. Times between those points are currently close on 3 hours 45. You've then got to add the time needed to turn round, get back onto the berth, and get the ropes secure.

And then there's the time it takes to discharge (but that doesn't get added to the voyage time - it's an added extra).

The morning trip from Douglas to Heysham today took 3 hours 48. A good trip for this ship.

The same trip last Wednesday was Douglas Departed at: 08:37 - Heysham Arrived at: 12:38 = 4 hours 01

Just a random date I kept figures for.

We quite often did the trip in less than 3 hours 45 on Ben, and she'd plough through some heavy weather!

[ellanvannin2010]

1 hour ago, monasqueen said:

Timings given on the Steam Packet website are normally "ropes off" to "all secure", as in early this morning - 

·        Heysham Departed at: 02:00 - Douglas Arrived at: 06:36.

Just a bit more than 4 hours 35!  Why??

The figures given on the ships' AIS are Douglas, "on the Head", just outside the harbour, and Heysham, somewhere around No 7 buoy. Again just outside the harbour. Times between those points are currently close on 3 hours 45. You've then got to add the time needed to turn round, get back onto the berth, and get the ropes secure.

And then there's the time it takes to discharge (but that doesn't get added to the voyage time - it's an added extra).

The morning trip from Douglas to Heysham today took 3 hours 48. A good trip for this ship.

The same trip last Wednesday was Douglas Departed at: 08:37 - Heysham Arrived at: 12:38 = 4 hours 01

Just a random date I kept figures for.

We quite often did the trip in less than 3 hours 45 on Ben, and she'd plough through some heavy weather!

If it is reliably going to keep to time it should be able to do the trip in well under the scheduled time though.

Managed to avoid the Manxman so far but any idea why it seems to be taking longer to unload and load than the Ben?. Surely by mow they will have worked out the most efficient way to do this and the traffic per sailing should be similar.

[Capt_Mainwaring]

3 hours ago, monasqueen said:

We quite often did the trip in less than 3 hours 45 on Ben

MX just in, a touch over 3.5 hours so a good crossing time this afternoon. 

[monasqueen]

She was due out of Heysham at 14.00, and left at 14.30, so must have tried to make a bit of time up. Bet she vibrated a lot!!!

[monasqueen]

Left Heysham this morning at 02.05, Due in Douglas at 05.50, according to the Steam Packet's website.

She's going very slowly, and on board information shows she is due "on the head" at 07.00.

The newspapers will be late.... again.

The lack of information is deafening. Low tide was at 05.10, and if they have to avoid up to 2 hours either side of that, it might help to explain, but why can't they be open about it and tell us?

Punctuality for the 12 months to 31 October is reported to be 86.1%. Most of that drop will be from when Manxman came on the scene. That is dire, even if reliability is good, at 98.9%.

[Frances]

Reliability figures can be gamed - recall TPE's mechanism of cancelling trains late the previous day so they don't appear on the timetable and thus avoid the reliability figure showing the their poor performance.

As for tidal problems in Douglas - if you can't specify a boat to work in your home port where things are under your control what is the point about complaining about Peel Ports and its maintenance policies. Edited November 27, 2023 by Frances

[Omobono]

have we bought a pup?

[GD4ELI]

1 hour ago, Omobono said:

have we bought a pup?

Not bought a boat designed for the Irish sea it would seem - those high sides will be regretted (famous last words).

[GreyWolf]

It would seem it’s not really suitable for the two main ports it users.

[Capt_Mainwaring]

46 minutes ago, GreyWolf said:

It would seem it’s not really suitable for the two main ports it users.

The Ben would be having (and often did have) the same issues?

[Capt_Mainwaring]

1 hour ago, GD4ELI said:

Not bought a boat designed for the Irish sea it would seem - those high sides will be regretted (famous last words).

Very similar in design to the eflexers that Stena use daily on the Irish Sea. Heysham is usually the issue in strong winds from certain directions. Was similar with the Ben (canx on days when it was only moderate/rough sea). Also still got the temporary wind limit on Manxman.

[Capt_Mainwaring]

5 hours ago, monasqueen said:

Left Heysham this morning at 02.05, Due in Douglas at 05.50, according to the Steam Packet's website.

She's going very slowly, and on board information shows she is due "on the head" at 07.00.

The newspapers will be late.... again.

The lack of information is deafening. Low tide was at 05.10, and if they have to avoid up to 2 hours either side of that, it might help to explain, but why can't they be open about it and tell us?

Punctuality for the 12 months to 31 October is reported to be 86.1%. Most of that drop will be from when Manxman came on the scene. That is dire, even if reliability is good, at 98.9%.

Looking like another c. 3:30 crossing this morning. One wonders if the slow overnight sailing time is to keep the noise down for anyone trying to sleep?!

[WTF]

3 hours ago, Omobono said:

have we bought a pup?

no, we bought teething problems.

[woolley]

It's completely redundant to pontificate about the slow timings when we know: A) That there are issues at each end of the route with shallow berth in Douglas and silt in Heysham. B) That Manxman can do the journey in 3hrs 30mins because she has done so a number of times. C) There is still a temporary work up limit on the permissible wind speed/direction.

Given all of the current restrictions, the ship sets sail and travels at whatever speed is necessary to arrive in time to meet the appropriate depth at the destination. Inevitably then, there are going to be a range of timings until the issues are addressed. Specifically, until the work on the KE Pier Douglas is complete, Heysham is properly dredged, and the wind limits are lifted to normal operational levels. Only then can she get a good run at the job and be judged on her performance.

Edited November 27, 2023 by woolley