Ben-My-Chree Fast Facts
| Current Name: Ben-My-Chree | Previous Names: - |
| Shipyard: Van der Giessen-de Noord N.V., Krimpen aan den IJssel (NL) #971, | IMO Number: 9170705 |
| Current Operator: The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company | Current Route: Douglas [IOM] - Heysham [GB] / Liverpool [GB] / Belfast [NI] / Dublin[IE] |
| Length Overall: 125.2m | Beam: 23.4m |
| Passenger Capacity: 500 (636 max) | Vehicle Capacity: 1235 lane metres of freight or 275 cars (or a combination of both) |
| Tonnage: 12,504 | Sister-ships: COMMODORE CLIPPER (Part-sister) |
Overview of Ben-My-Chree
The Dutch built Ro-Pax ferry BEN-MY-CHREE (VI) was ordered while the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company was under the ownership of Sea Containers. She is the sole conventional passenger vessel operated by the company at present. BEN-MY-CHREE (VI) was launched in 1998 at the Dutch yard of Van der Giessen-de Noord at Krimpen an den IJssel, near Rotterdam.
Purchased at a price of £24m (US$39.5m), BEN-MY-CHREE was the first new-build vessel for Isle of Man services for 23 years. She was purpose-built and was the largest vessel to ever enter service with the Steam Packet.
The arrival of BEN-MY-CHREE allowed the Steam Packet to withdraw 2 vessels – the freight only ferry PEVERIL (ex PENDA / JAGUAR, etc) and the vehicle and passenger ferry KING ORRY (1972, the former SAINT ELOI and CHANNEL ENTENTE of Sealink ALA). The current BEN-MY-CHREE is the 6th Steam Packet vessel to carry the name.
Design
The design of BEN-MY-CHREE was somewhat of a departure for the Isle of Man Steam Packet, as she was the first vessel designed for them to act as a backup to a fast-craft and not as a main vessel with regard to passenger operations.
BEN-MY-CHREE was designed to fit the constraints of both Douglas and Heysham harbours. As a result she is smaller than many vessels of similar age with a length overall of just over 125m.
The hull form of BEN-MY-CHREE is a shortened version of that used on the North Sea Ferries (later P&O) passenger carrying freighters NORBANK and NORBAY. These themselves are an evolution of a design used for seven freight ferries built in The Netherlands and Italy for the Italian Viamare sea motorway project, the first of which was VIA LIGURE. Adapting this existing design helped keep the design and manufacture costs low.
It is said that all Van der Giessen ferries of the same era are based on this common hull form and a wider derivative. This includes Irish Ferries ISLE OF INNISFREE (currently KAITAKI) and ISLE OF INISHMORE, STENA JUTLANDICA (III), the aforementioned North Sea Ferries (now P&O) “super freighters”, COMMODORE CLIPPER (which many consider a part-sister to BEN-MY-CHREE), and even their final vessels, Brittany Ferries MONT ST MICHEL and SNCM’s PASCAL PAOLI.
During the 1990’s, Van der Giessen became a popular choice of yard with ferry companies due to their ability to build vessels to a good standard quickly and at an attractive price. This was due in no small part to the yards use of modular construction and standardised design.
Propulsion
Propulsion on BEN-MY-CHREE is provided by two Mak 9M32 medium-speed diesel engines, each producing a total of 8,640kW running at 600rpm. These drive twin controllable pitch propellers at approx 160rpm via reduction gearing. Two Leroy Somer shaft generators producing 1160kW each at 1500rpm are also driven from the main engines via a step-up gearbox. For manoeuvring at low-speed two LIPS 900kW bow thrusters are fitted. Normal service speed is around 18-19kts.
Passenger Accommodation
Although originally designed to carry a maximum of 500 passengers, following a number of passenger complaints this was limited to around 350 for passenger comfort. This capacity was boosted to 636 passengers (limited to 500) during a major refit costing £1.5m in 2004 when an additional passenger module requiring some 150 tonnes of steelwork was fitted to BEN-MY-CHREE at Northwestern Ship Repairers, Bidston (now part of Cammell Laird).
In addition to increasing passenger capacity through the addition of a new 100 person bar area and 100 person quiet lounge, this refit also included adding outside passenger space to the vessel for the first time. While the accommodation module and supporting steelwork were fitted during the month long refit, outfitting of the new accommodation took place while the vessel was back in service.
Vehicles are housed on decks three and five where a total of 1,235 lane metres is available. Access to these decks is via a single stern ramp. All passenger accommodation is on decks 7 and 8.
Area of operation
BEN-MY-CHREE principally operates between the Manx capital of Douglas to the Lancashire port of Heysham and Birkenhead, however during the summer season she has also operated to Belfast and Dublin.
On 21st May 2016 BEN-MY-CHREE conducted berthing trials at Holyhead in order to assess the suitability of the Anglesey port as a backup option to Heysham and Birkenhead.
Following similar berthing trials at Larne for MANANNAN earlier in the year, BEN-MY-CHREE briefly visited the County Antrim port in the early hours of 30/7/17 for her own berthing trials.
Following successful trials of both BEN-MY-CHREE and MANANNAN at Larne, the IOMSPCo opened a public consultation towards the end of 2017 about switching ports from Belfast to Larne. The result of this consultation came back in favour of keeping Belfast as the port used by the Steam Packet in Northern Ireland, however.
Between 17th April and 8th May 2018 BEN-MY-CHREE was taken out of service for her biennial overhaul. A sum of £1.6m was to be spent on this work which was both above and below deck.
Replacement plan
The Isle of Man Steam packet have announced a proposal to replace the BEN-MY-CHREE by 2020/21 with a new 140m long vessel designed to carry around 800 passengers. When that vessel enters service it is planned that BEN-MY-CHREE will be relegated to providing backup duties as third ship to the new vessel and MANANNAN.
The result of the vessel replacement project is MANXMAN which is currently under construction in Korea.
Trivia
- BEN-MY-CHREE is a traditional Steam Packet name, the first ship to bear the name was an iron paddle steamer launched in 1845. The current BEN-MY-CHREE is the 6th vessel to carry the name which is of Old Manx Gaelic origin and means ‘Woman of my heart’.
- Although BEN-MY-CHREE has no direct sisters, at least 3 other ferries have been constructed to a very similar design and had a similar profile as-built. These are Commodore’s COMMODORE CLIPPER (also built at the same yard, but with additional passenger accommodation) which serves the Channel Islands, and BornholmTrafikken’s HAMMERODDE and DUEODDE (DUEODDE is now STRAITSMAN of New Zealand operator Bluebridge) built for operation to the Danish island of Bornholm. HAMMERODDE was built by Van der Giessen’s successor company IHC Merwede at Hardinxveld-Giessendam, whilst DUEODDE was subcontracted by that company to the Volharding shipyard at Harlingen. During November 2017 HAMMERODDE was purchased by Stena RoRo. She was employed on sister-company Stena Line’s Gothenburg – Fredrikshavn route as STENA VINGA in place of STENA GOTHICA during the second half of 2018.
- The Royal New Zealand Navy multi-role vessel HMNZS CANTERBURY is also directly based on the BEN-MY-CHREE design.
Technical Data
| Name |
BEN-MY-CHREE |
|---|---|
| IMO Number |
9170705 |
| Building Yard |  Van der Giessen-de Noord, Krimpen aan den IJsell (near Rotterdam), The Netherlands. |
| Yard Number |
971 |
| Keel laid |
28th October 1997 |
| Launched |
4th April 1998 |
| Completed |
3rd July 1998 |
| Classification |
|
| Conversion – Yard (month/year) |
• Additional passenger module added – North Western Ship Repairers (6th Jan – 5th Feb 2004) |
| In service (Freight mode) |
July 1998 |
| In service (Passenger service) |
4th August 1998 |
| Operator |
|
| Call sign |
MXLG6 |
| Length overall |
125.2m |
| Length (b.p.) |
115.1m |
| Beam |
23.4m |
| Draught (loaded) |
5.6m |
| Gross Tonnage (as built) |
12,504 |
| Gross Tonnage (present) |
12,747 |
| Machinery |
• • 2 x Controllable Pitch Propellers. • 2 x LIPS 900kW forward tunnel thrusters, each with 4 blade variable pitch propellers. • • Twin spade rudders. • Two fin stabilisers. These are designed to reduce roll by up to 90% at service speed. |
| Power (Max) |
8640kW |
| Service speed |
19kts |
| Capacity (As built) |
• 332 passengers (500 max) • 275 cars or 1235lm of freight |
| Capacity (Present) |
• 500 passengers (636 max) • 275 cars or 1235lm of freight |
| Vehicle deck configuration |
Two vehicle decks (Deck 3 and 5), accessed by a single 12m wide stern ramp on deck 3 and a 3.35m wide hoistable internal ramp to deck 5. 4.9m clearance. |
| Onboard Facilities in use |
|
| Flag (Current) |
|
BEN-MY-CHREE Gallery
Created: 25.01.17
Last update: 03.09.19
