The Geos Group was delighted to refuel the new Isle of Man ferry at the end of June, as it berthed in Southampton to prepare for the last leg of its epic journey home from South Korea.
The Manxman is a stunning new state-of-the-art passenger ferry, commissioned by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company which is based in Douglas. Founded in 1830, Steam Packet is the oldest consecutively-running passenger ferry company in the world, and operates services between the island and Heysham, Liverpool, Dublin and Belfast.
The third ship in the company’s long history to bear the name Manxman, this new flagship vessel has been designed to incorporate complex technical features, provide passengers with all the comfort, services and facilities they require, and be economical to run too. At 133 metres long, she can carry 950 passengers and crew, along with freight and vehicles. She has nine decks, engines imported from Finland, and a 400-tonne accommodation block.
The design and tendering process started in 2019, and construction began in 2021. The ship-building contract was eventually awarded to Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea, and the project has cost around £78 million. On completion, the Manxman was launched with a traditional naming ceremony in May 2023 and, a week later, Lars Ugland, the Chairman of the Board at Steam Packet, signed the official document to take ownership. She then set sail for her 10,000 nautical mile journey home from Ulsan in South Korea to Douglas on the Isle of Man.
On 2 July, a few days after the Geos Group supplied the Manxman with fuel in Southampton, she sailed into Manx waters for the first time, greeted and cheered on by crowds of well-wishers. She will now operate alongside the company’s other passenger ferry, the Mananna, replacing the older and smaller vessel Ben-my-Chee.
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