Isle of Man’s £71m ferry terminal finally opens for business

At long last the first passengers boarded a vessel from the long-awaited transport hub yesterday, which offers a strategic route to and from Liverpool.

Built by John Sisk & Sons and operated by The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, the terminal has a gross floor area of 27,500 sq ft distributed over two floors.

The site for the project was bought by the Isle of Man Government on long-term leasehold, for just over 230 years.

Designs for the scheme were unveiled in 2018, with a view to it being ready in 2020. It has initially been projected to cost £30m.

Ground was broken on the development in January 2020 and the final Tynwald-approved spend on the project has come in at £70.6m.

This facility replaces the dated ferry terminal located on the waterfront at Pier Head, which is at the end of its life.

A maximum of 1,000 passengers can be accommodated on the ferry with 1,145 metres of vehicle lanes available.

The Manannan service can carry 850 passengers and crew, and 200 vehicles will be the primary users of the terminal.

A winter weekend schedule will be operated by The Manxman, which can carry 1,000 passengers and crew, 237 vehicles, and 75 trailers.

The first passengers have boarded at the terminal. Credt: via Isle of Man Government

The Manser Practice was the architect for the scheme, which has seen the ground level and roof of the building clad in zinc, designed to provide a hard-wearing exterior suited to its marine setting.

A fully-glazed perimeter provides continuous views of the vessel, across the Mersey and to the city.

Other features include a café in the first-floor departure lounge and full passenger security facilities.

A road leading to the terminal was created thanks to funding from Liverpool City Council. The road has been named Triskelion Way, acknowledging the Island’s historic maritime link with the city and wider area.

The ferry terminal has been years in the making. Credt: via Isle of Man Government

Peel L&P has also developed a link bridge between Princes Dock at Liverpool Waters and the Isle of Man Ferry Terminal.

With the development of the ferry terminal the Isle of Man Government will have full control over its lifeline sea links to the UK, according to a government spokesperson.

It represents the only development the Isle of Man Government has undertaken outside of the Island and will be the only property it owns away from home shores.

Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall MHK said: “Watching passengers using the terminal for the first time was fantastic to witness.

“What’s been created is a bright, modern, fit-for-purpose facility which will ensure the travelling public will continue to be delivered into the heart of Liverpool, a city with such strong historic connections to the Island, for many generations to come.

“This project has seen its share of challenges, but to have it finally completed and operational marks a significant moment in our modern maritime history.”

Dominic Hodges, managing director, UK Civils, Sisk, said: “Sisk is delighted to complete and handover The Isle of Man Ferry Terminal project and it has been a major undertaking on our part that will add significant value to both Liverpool and the Isle of Man.

I would like to thank our team and supply chain partners behind the project who have applied creativity and culminated years of experience to solve the unique problems they have faced, successfully building on a rich history and creating a new legacy.”

Steam Packet managing director Brian Thomson said: “Our hard working staff have been working round the clock to bring us to this point and ensure as smooth a transition as possible and we are pleased to be finally moving to the new terminal.

“The safety of passengers and crew is as always our priority and as with sailing to any new facility, it will take time for our captains, crew and staff to become fully accustomed to the terminal, and rectify any teething issues.

“We’d like to thank passengers in advance for their patience and understanding while we get used to the new Liverpool terminal.”

Chris Capes, development director for Liverpool Waters, added: “We are delighted to see the new Isle of Man Ferry Terminal open at Liverpool Waters.

“Not only does the new terminal look fantastic, but it is also well connected with new road and pedestrian links, and it will greatly improve the passenger experience. We are also pleased to see key heritage features retained and restored within the surrounding public realm.

“This marks another significant milestone in the regeneration of Liverpool’s northern docklands and will create new opportunities for tourism, jobs and further investment.”

To view the plans for the development, search for application reference number 18F/3231 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.