(07-06-2016, 07:54 AM)sculptor Wrote: There was a German Ferry company wanted to do this a couple of years ago who met with unbelievable resistance to it.( I'll try and find some of their replies to me) The Steam Packet seem to have it sewn up with the IOM Government ....Remember Geoff Duke's Roll On/ Roll Off ?. To be fair any company has to make money throughout the year, not just TT fortnight

There was no resistance at all to Capt Bucholz. His scheme was pie in the sky and quite rightly never got off the ground. The Port of Douglas is free access to all suitable vessels.

There are two linkspans for ro-ro traffic. The Steam Packet own one and its down to them whether they permit anyone else to use it. The Government own the other and have given exclusive use to the Steam Packet in exchange for which the Packet must operate regular year round services, some of which are poorly utilised. This trade off provides a year round "lifeline". Any vessel would therefore need to crane its cargo on and off, which takes longer and makes the whole thing unprofitable. Remember Bucholz wasn't interested for humanitarian reasons.

The boat services are only really profitable in two areas TT and Freight. Bucholz wanted to operate in both, but without the commitment of a year round service. Essentially creaming off the Packet's good bits.

Geoff Duke's Manxline very nearly bankrupted both his company and the Steam Packet. Like it or not, I don't think there is room for sustained competition on these routes. Only Condor operates the CI Ferries and only Calmac the Scottish Islands.