The Chief Minister says he is very keen to see the government support the island’s travel links to the UK and Ireland.
Alf Cannan travelled to Dublin on board Manannan last week ahead of a series of meetings in Northern Ireland.
The early morning crossing provided the opportunity to support one of the company’s seasonal routes and emphasised the importance of maintaining connectivity with our neighbours.
Keen to Support
The Chief Minister said: “I am very keen to see the Isle of Man Government support our island’s travel links to the UK and Ireland.
“I believe that connectivity by both air and sea is key to our continued prosperity. For an island, good sea links are vital. Since government has taken arm’s length ownership of the Steam Packet, we have seen significant investment in the fleet of vessels and in the new port facilities at Liverpool.
“This investment goes a long way to strengthening the resilience of our island.’
Chief on Manannan
During the journey to Dublin, the Chief Minister was invited to visit the bridge where he met the Captain and bridge officers.
He also took the time to talk to crew members and catering teams about their work on the vessel.
The Chief Minister added: “I was very grateful to the team for allowing me to look around and find out more about the Manannan and sea services in general from the people who are on-board year-round.
“I was particularly impressed by the amount of business interaction from food producers on the Island that goes into creating the distinct menus that are so popular with the ferry’s passengers. It’s a real island success story.”
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