Overview
- The Royal Daffodil, which began trials Thursday, left Cammell Laird in Birkenhead to test systems on the River Mersey.
- Engineers are checking propulsion, maneuverability, navigation and communications, plus alarms, lifesaving gear and berthing at Seacombe and Pier Head.
- The 50‑meter, 750‑ton, £26 million ferry is expected to reach about 12 knots during a two‑day test window.
- No public access is allowed during trials, with passenger service planned later this year.
- As the first new Mersey Ferry in more than 60 years, the ship built by APCL Cammell Laird adds fully accessible decks and event spaces following the Royal Iris’s retirement and the Snowdrop’s return.