Weather Europe Irish Sea · 4 August 2025
Storm Floris Causes Disruption to Irish Sea Ferry Services – 4 August 2025
What happened
On 4 August 2025, Storm Floris brought gale-force winds to the Irish Sea, causing significant disruption to ferry services operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company between the Isle of Man and north-west England. High-speed sailings of the fast-craft Manannan were cancelled, while the conventional ferry Manxman operated with delays and extended crossing times due to rough sea conditions and safety precautions.
The UK Met Office issued a yellow wind warning for gusts up to 50 mph (80 km/h), which was subsequently lifted as the storm's most severe conditions passed. The operator issued travel advisories and permitted flexible rebooking of affected sailings without change fees.
Details of the disruption
The fast-craft Manannan had both its morning and afternoon sailings between Douglas and Liverpool cancelled on Monday due to rough sea conditions. The conventional ferry Manxman successfully departed Douglas for Heysham at 08:30 BST, though the return journey at 14:15 was subject to potential delays based on weather developments. The 16:00 Manannan sailing was expected to proceed but with approximately 30 minutes added to the usual crossing time due to rougher seas and enhanced safety precautions.
Vessel and voyage
Vessels
- Fast-craft Manannan – Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
- Conventional ferry Manxman – Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
Routes
- Douglas (Isle of Man) to Liverpool (north-west England)
- Douglas (Isle of Man) to Heysham (north-west England)
Weather impact
Storm Floris produced gale-force winds with gusts up to 50 mph (80 km/h) across the Irish Sea on 4 August 2025, according to the Ronaldsway Met Office. A yellow wind warning was initially in effect but was lifted as the storm's most severe conditions passed. Residual swells and winds continued to affect marine operations throughout the day.
Casualties
Fatalities
- None reported.
Injuries
- None reported.
Rescued
- No rescue operations required.
Current status
The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company issued a travel advisory warning of possible further disruptions and encouraged passengers to monitor updates closely. Bookings for affected Monday sailings may be amended without change fees, providing flexibility to impacted travellers. Services were expected to normalise as weather conditions improved.