Isle of Man welcomes delivery of ‘Star Manx’

THE Isle of Man has welcomed another significant addition to its Ship Registry following the delivery of a new bulk carrier the ‘Star Manx’.

The official naming ceremony took place last week at the Tsuneishi Zhoushan Shipyard near Shanghai in China.

‘Star Manx’ is the second of three new vessels commissioned by Lars Ugland, the Douglas-based chief executive officer of LTU Management Ltd and Seven Mile Shipping, to carry the Manx name.

Sailing under the Isle of Man ensign, it has entered a five-year charter with Norwegian company Grieg Star Shipping and embarked on its maiden voyage to transport a bulk cargo of grain from Seattle to Japan.

The vessel is an identical sister to the ‘Caly Manx’ which was delivered from the same shipyard at the end of September after a naming ceremony performed by Manx singer and actress Sam Barks and attended by an Isle of Man Government delegation.

The construction and delivery of the ‘Star Manx’ has further strengthened the Isle of Man’s relations with the Japanese Tsuneishi group, owners of the Zhoushan shipyard.

Dick Welsh, Director of the Isle of Man Ship Registry, said: ‘This is another important addition to the Manx fleet which continues to grow in size and influence each year.

‘Awareness of the Island as a maritime centre of excellence is increasing, particularly in the Far East, and we intend to capitalise on that interest in order to generate further business opportunities.

‘We are once again grateful to Lars Ugland for his continued support and look forward to the delivery of the “Geraldine Manx” early in the New Year to complete the series.’