Industry Shipping Defunct 1985 Key people Geoff Duke OBE, CEO Founded 1979 | Fate Merged with IOMSPCo Area served Irish Sea Headquarters Douglas Ceased operations 1985 | |
Services Passenger transportation
Freight transportation | ||
Manx Line was the name of the ferry company that brought the RO-RO era to the Isle of Man between 1979-1984. It wasn't the first company called "Manx Line", with the Steam Packet Company having seen off another company with the same name in the late 19th century.
Contents
History
The company operated one Spanish vessel, Monte Castillo, which was renamed Manx Viking. It emerged that motorcycle ace Geoff Duke was head of this new venture. Many people preferred this exciting new concept of travel to rival company the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company's sideloaders and passenger only turbine steamers. The company had very good advertising and became popular very quickly, however, the Manx Viking broke down quite frequently in the first year of operations.
Manx Line offered a service from Douglas to the Lancashire port of Heysham. The first easterly gale to blow in the year of 1978 destroyed the Manx Line linkspan in Douglas Harbour, and caused £1 million of damage to the Victoria Pier. It took five years to settle the matter, but by that time Sealink had taken over the Manx Line operation, and continued to operate the Manx Viking on the same route, offering strong competition to the Steam Packet Company, who purchased a linkspan in 1980, and took out a charter on the P&O vessel NF Jaguar (later Peveril) in rivalry to the Manx Viking.
Manx Line, as part of Sealink, was later sold to Sea Containers Ltd, and became the vehicle for a reverse takeover by SeaCo of the Steam Packet Company, so consolidating the two Manx businesses.
Fleet
Manx Line operated only one vessel. Various other vessels covered during their seven-year period of operation.