MV Ben-my-Chree
Ben-my-Chree in Douglas Harbour
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| History | |
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 Isle of Man
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| Name: | Ben-my-Chree |
| Namesake: | Manx: Woman of my heart |
| Owner: | Isle of Man Steam Packet Company |
| Operator: | Isle of Man Steam Packet Company |
| Port of registry: | Douglas, Isle of Man |
| Route: | |
| Ordered: | 1997 |
| Builder: | van der Giessen de Noord, Netherlands |
| Cost: | GB£24,000,000 |
| Yard number: | 971 |
| Laid down: | 1997 |
| Launched: | 1998 |
| Commissioned: | 1998 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 9170705 |
| Status: | In Service |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 12,747 GT |
| Length: | 125.2 m (411 ft) |
| Beam: | 23.4 m (77 ft) |
| Draught: | 5.8 m (19 ft) |
| Installed power: | 2 × MAK 9L32 diesel engines |
| Propulsion: | |
| Speed: | 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph) |
| Capacity: |
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MV Ben-my-Chree is a Ro-Pax vessel launched in 1998. The flagship of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, she operates primarily on the Douglas-Heysham route.
Ben-my-Chree was ordered in 1997 by Sea Containers for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. Costing around £24 million, she was built by van der Giessen de Noord of the Netherlands and launched on 4 April 1998. The sixth vessel to carry the name, she is registered in Douglas, Isle of Man.
Brought around to the island from the Netherlands by the late Captain Vernon Kinley, Ben-my-Chree entered service on 5 July 1998, Tynwald Day - the Isle of Man's national holiday. At a gross tonnage of around 12,000, she was the largest ship to enter service with the company. The vessel received a lot of criticism due to her low passenger capacity of 500 (carrying no more than 350 per sailing), and the fact she had no open deck for passengers. The company insisted this was a "comfort level" for the vessel's size. The islanders have never warmed to the vessel.
In 2004 the vessel underwent a refit carried out by Cammell Laird to increase passenger capacity with the addition of a new passenger module. In 2014 Ben-my-Chree underwent a £1.6 million refit which included new LED lighting fitted to the lounge areas, refitted the crew rest area. also carried out by Cammell Laird.
On 25 July 2008, Ben-my-Chree suffered a technical failure, with the Viking taking her Heysham sailing until she was repaired.
On 26 March 2010, Ben-My-Chree experienced unintended movement while berthed at Heysham Port, resulting in collapse of an access structure trapping 8 people who had to be removed by the fire service.
On the evening of 1 May 2013 when arriving in Douglas Harbour from Heysham, Ben-my-Chree struck part of the King Edward Pier Linkspan, Number 5 berth. In the collision part of the ship was slightly damaged, meaning the evening departure to Heysham was delayed. Passengers had to wait around two hours for the arrival of "Manannan" from Liverpool to be transported to Heysham, arriving there only about thirty minutes late.Ben-my-Chree re-entered service the following day with a freight-only service to Heysham and was back in full service at 19.45 the same day.
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Wikipedia