ULYSSES Irish Ferries broke new ground in January when sending the 2001-built ro-pax vessel from the Holyhead-Dublin route to the Tyne for a refit at the A&P Yard near Newcastle. In previous years the vessel has usually gone to Harland & Wolff in Belfast.
BEN-MY-CHREE The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company confirmed that the 1998-built/12,747gt ro-pax will in future only be used in a backup role to Manxman (2022/24,161gt) on services to Douglas. Plans for the stern-loading Ben-My-Chree were confirmed by the Manx Government in February. Although she was designed to carry 635 passengers and 275 cars on three-hour-30-minute crossings, this was reduced to 500 passengers and 200 cars and passenger totals rarely exceeded 350.