SAILINGS to and from the Isle of Man were delayed yesterday after the Ben my Chree was hit by a strong gust of wind while docking in Heysham.
The Steam Packet Company delayed the 2.15pm sailing from Heysham to Douglas while a marine surveyor inspected the boat.
Passengers were told that the sailing would be delayed until at least 4.45pm when a further announcement would be made.
Following the inspection the Ben my Chree was cleared to sail and departed at 5.30pm.
As a knock on effect the 7.45pm sailing from Douglas to Heysham was rescheduled to depart at 10.20pm. Passengers were asked to check in by 9pm at the latest.
The Steam Packet Company issued the following statement thanking passengers for their patience:
"While berthing in Heysham on Monday afternoon the Ben-my-Chree was hit by a powerful gust of wind. Given the weather conditions the decision had already been taken to berth with tug assistance.
"It is normal practice for the ship to make contact with the fenders on the dockside while berthing, however, on this occasion the landing was heavier than usual as a result of the freak gust of around 60 knots.
"The incident was relatively minor and did not cause any injuries to passengers. The vessel discharged as normal.
"As a precautionary measure and consistent with the company’s stance as a responsible operator, a marine surveyor attended the vessel to carry out an inspection of the hull.
"Following this inspection the vessel was cleared to sail and departed at 5.30pm. As a result, the 7.45pm sailing from Douglas to Heysham is rescheduled to depart at 10.20pm. Passengers are asked to check-in no later than 9pm.
"Passengers at Heysham were updated by the terminal staff and refreshments were made available at the terminal and onboard.
"Chief Executive Mark Woodward said: 'We view safety very seriously and, given the weather conditions, had taken on the assistance of a tug to berth. In spite of that a very strong gust of wind caused the Ben to come alongside more heavily than usual.
"'As a precautionary measure the vessel was inspected prior to departing from Heysham. I would like to thank passengers for their patience and apologise for the delay, however, passenger safety is our main priority.'"
