Pier damaged by ferry so far repaired
A pier damaged by the "Ben my Chree" has undergone vital repair work ahead of the TT races. The berthing fender on King Edward's Pier was badly damaged when the ferry allided with it on May 1. No passengers were injured when the ferry, coming from Heysham, hit the pier. A Department of Infrastructure team, including engineers, blacksmiths and divers, has removed the pile and fender from the water. The ferry suffered damage about 4 meters above the water line but returned to service on May 2. The "Ben-my-Chree", which had been using the Victoria Pier since the accident, will now be able to use its usual berth during the Isle of Man TT races. With the pile and fender removed, the ship can continue to use Number 5 berth for the foreseeable future, including throughout TT fortnight. However, a full repair of the pile and fender will need to be carried out and it was being reviewed how best to facilitate the full repair and whether an interim measure is needed, and of course it was continue dto liaise with the Steam Packet Company to ensure the timescales fit in with their schedules.