Steam Packet Company announces arrangements for Centenary TT
Additional ships, but it's proving a struggle

 

The Steam Packet Company has announced arrangements for the Centenary TT on the Isle of Man

Tonnage will include Ben-my-Chree, Superseacat Two, Emeraude France, P&O Express (for 22 trips), Stena Caledonia for 2, 3, 4 June and 9, 10, 11 June and freight vessels Hoburgen and Moon Dance/River Dance.

Operations director Mark Woodward said: ‘We apologise to those passengers affected by the TT timetable changes. This year due to the demand for travel we have scheduled to operate more than 360 sailings over the Centenary TT period.

‘We don’t have unlimited resources, and we strive to maintain fares as low as possible through year round special offers. Our core fleet is geared to meet normal demand levels while providing spare capacity for growth. Centenary TT demand means we must charter additional vessels and use additional port slots. The reality is that the company has been actively and exhaustively seeking charter vessels for the Centenary TT for the last two years.

The company has been successful in forging longer term relationships with other shipping companies to provide some guaranteed additional TT capacity. However, the TT period comes at a time when other companies too are also looking to increase their capacity to meet summer demand. As such they are reluctant to release vessels to third parties such as the Steam Packet’.

Mark continued: ‘Physical limits on our port facilities, the suitability of vessels in the international marketplace and differing national safety regulations mean that ships cannot easily be transplanted from one area of operation to another.

‘Where vessels are available, operators typically prefer to secure longer term charters. As such they will not commit to the shorter TT period charter, often until just before the event. Without these firm guarantees we can only offer provisional vessels and timings for the following year’s TT to some of our customers. This is made absolutely clear to customers when we take provisional bookings and deposits. It is explained once again when final payment is due. For precisely these reasons, we have had to alter some of those provisionally booked sailings this year’.

Mark concluded: ‘We are aware that the situation is not ideal and would of course prefer to offer a higher degree of certainty to our customers. We will continue to investigate all viable options that would allow us to improve the situation in the future. In the meantime, our staff are committed to making the Centenary TT a huge success and I would appeal for support from the Island community in ensuring that the event is a success for us all’.