Extended vehicle marshalling area which was constructed on the site of the former Norwest Hovercraft Company / Isle of Man Steam Packet terminal building.
A wooden jetty at Fleetwood alongside the river wall once served the mainly seasonal Fleetwood to Douglas Sailings. The decaying structure led to the withdrawal of the service on September 11, 1961. However, a new company attempted to enter the Fleetwood to Douglas trade. Norwest Hovercraft in 1968. Initially the plan was to operate a sidewall hovercraft DENNY ENTERPRISE between Fleetwood and Douglas and a light weight floating stage was constructed near the site of the former Steam Packet berth and a quite impressive terminal building was also built. The lightweight hovercraft proved totally unsuited to an open sea crossing and was confined to offering trips around Morecambe Bay. Norwest then decided to operate a conventional ferry service between Fleetwood and Douglas in 1969 using the chartered STELLA MARINA. This required a more substantial berth to be constructed. In 1970 with the STELLA MARINA unavailable for charter the company bought the former Cal-Mac ship LOCHEIL renamed NORWEST LAIRD. The ship was unsuited to the long crossing to Douglas and various problems followed. Norwest Hovercraft went into liquidation. Further improvements to the berth were undertaken by the then port owners British Transport Docks Board and the Isle of Man Steam Packet seasonal sailings recommenced on August 25, 1971 with a sailing MONA'S ISLE. The Fleetwood berth continued to see occasional summer use until the final sailing operated by SNAEFELL on Saturday, August 07, 2010.
