Getting Places - Fast Ferries
Ferries travel across the Irish Sea from the Liverpool Pierhead to Dublin (Ireland) and Douglas (Isle of Mann).
These ferries carry passengers cars and vans. The services are provided by a mixture of fast ferries
Ships Regulary seen at Liverpool
Viking formerly known as SuperSeaCat II
Snaefell formerly known as Sea Express 1 formerly known as Sea Cat Isle of Man
Manannan
Other Ships
Ben My Chree Passenger + Freight between Heysham - Douglas
Diamant
Emeraude France chartered 2007
Lady of Mann (sold)
Rapide
SuperSeaCat III (sold)
Aurora (Boston MA)
Ships Regularly seen at Liverpool
Manannan
On 13th May 2009 I saw Manannan arrive in Liverpool for a berthing trial.
Video of Manannan arriving in Douglas
Tour of Manannan.
Viking
Formerly known as Superseacat II
Is a 100 metre aluminum fast ferry with single bow thruster.
The summer of 2008 was eventful. In July Viking sucked up some crab pots in Douglas Harbour. In August she was holed at the Liverpool Pierhead.
SuperSeaCat II
In Spring 2003 it provided the Liverpool Dublin service.
In Spring 2005 the repainted seacat provided the Summer Isle of Man service even though part of the landing stage is still missing due to storm damage in the winter.
In July / August 2006 the ferry was running slower than usual due to problems with one of its four gearboxes.
In September 2006 Sea Express I came into service so that repairs could be made.
Snaefell
In May 2009 I went on holiday to the Isle of Man.
Sea Express I
In 2005, Sea Cat Isle of man was charted and renamed as Sea Express I.
In October 2005 a sick passenger was taken to hospital by helicopter.
Later in October I heard that Sea Express had gone into administration.
In December 2005 the ferry was repainted. On January 8th on a cold Sunday afternoon I saw the repainted ferry leaving the dock.
She then headed across the River Mersey towards Liverpool.
In September 2006 she came back into service so that SuperSeaCat 2 could have a gearbox repaired. I took this picture when Deutschland anchored in the Mersey.
On Febrary 3rd SE1 was damaged in collision.
SeaCat Isle of Man
Seacat Isle of Man is a 74 metre seacat.
The entripid motorcyclists can be seen boarding the Seacat Isle of Mann. Unfortunately in 2001 there wasn't a TT-Races to help prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth among farm animals. By 2002 things were back to normal and there was a TT race.Isle of Man - where the world famous TT Races are held. Public roads are closed so that motorcyclists with and without sidecars try out their motoring skills.
In 2002 the Seacat Isle of Mann helped locate some fishermen in distress, their boat was taking on water and their engine wouldn't start. Fortunately the lifeboats rescued them in time.
During her initial charter 1994 - 1996 she was hit by a freak wave which twisted her bow and ripped off her bow water tight visor (the picture below shows the visor open).
Other Ships
Diamant is another 81 metre twin hulled sea cat and it was built in September 1996.
It returned to the Mersey in 2006 on a short term charter for the TT races (IOM TT Races: 27th May -> 9th June). She now has a rather unusual paint job.
It helped provide capacity Liverpool in Spring 2003.
In the background is one of the local shipyards which has numerous dry docks where ship maintenance and repair work can be carried out. In January 2004 the worlds biggest car ferry Ulysees which is about 50,000 tons had some work done in one of the dry docks.
Emeraude France is a 74 metre twin hulled sea cat. It was chartered after Sea Express 1 was damaged.
I saw the ferry in June 2007 taking people to the TT races.
Rapide is a 81 metre twin hulled seacat.
The Rapide replaced the SuperSeaCat III in spring 2001. I have noticed that to cut down port-time the ship often departs while the landing ramps (for cars) are being winched up.
SuperSeaCat III is a 100 metre single hulled seacat.
In February 2002, the SuperSeaCat III came back into service at Liverpool.
Silja line ferries purchased this sea cat.
Ocassionally, if the Mersey is really rough a tug may assist the ferry berthing at the landing stage.
Read about the most famous IOM boat Ellan Vannin.
Aurora
Incat / Crowther 38m aluminium catamaran ferry.
Three of these ferries operate in the Boston Massachusetts area and they can carry 350 passengers.
Dimensions 38m * 9.95m * 1.88m. Displacement deadweight = 38 tons, loaded = 157 tons. Using all 4 waterjets it can reach 34.3 knots.
In 2006 while I was in Boston Massachusetts I went whale watching and saw several humpbacked whales.
Getting Places.
River Mersey - Liners
River Mersey - Royal Navy
River Mersey - other shipping
Shipping Cross Reference
Places of Interest.
Map Index.