Shipping
The Island's principal port is Douglas, which has deep-water berths and facilities for handling passengers, roll-on/roll-offcars and freight vehicles, general cargoes, bulk oil and gas cargoes, and is a regular port of call for cruise liners. Peel, on the west coast, has a deep water berth and facilities for handling limited passenger traffic, general and bulk oil cargoes.
Ramsey, in the northeast is a drying harbour, with a busy trade in general and bulk cargoes. The Island's main sea route is between Douglas and Heysham, a modern port in the northwest of England, closely linked to Britain's motorway and Intercity rail networks.
The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company operates multi-purpose and freight roll-on/roll-off vessels on this route providing daily services throughout the summer months for passengers, cars and freight vehicles. During the winter, there are scheduled services to Birkenhead and Heysham. In the summer months, the Steam Packet operates additional routes for holiday traffic to Dublin, Belfast and Fleetwood as well as extra sailings to Liverpool.
Mezeron Ltd. operates a fleet of two coasters carrying containers, general and bulk cargoes trading mainly to Manx ports from Glasson Dock in northwest England and Carrickfergus in Belfast Lough. The Ramsey Steamship Company also operates between ports in the Irish Sea basin.