Striking pictures show new ferry in action on River Mersey

A new Isle of Man ferry has been spotted navigating the River Mersey as part of its ongoing trials. The Manxman ferry successfully docked at Liverpool's recently opened Isle of Man Ferry Terminal on Tuesday.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has been testing the 133-meter ferry, which was built last year. Manxman is the first new vessel commissioned by the company since the Ben-my-Chree joined the fleet in 1998. The ferry can accommodate 948 passengers and has 10% more lane capacity for vehicles compared to Ben-my-Chree, carrying up to 237 cars or 75 trailers. Built at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan, South Korea, Manxman reaches a service speed of 19.25 knots (around 22 mph).

Photos taken today show the ferry in action on the River Mersey as it continues its trials. Its first passenger voyage to Liverpool is scheduled for November 9.

Liverpool’s new Isle of Man Ferry Terminal, which opened in June after multiple delays, began construction in 2019 with an original completion target of summer 2021. The Isle of Man Government-funded project faced setbacks, pushing its final cost to £70m. It is now fully operational, serving routes across the Irish Sea.