The Dazzle Ferry, officially named Snowdrop, has become one of Liverpool's most iconic attractions on the city's waterfront. In January 2015, the Mersey Ferry was selected as a "dazzle ship," receiving a vibrant new livery inspired by World War I dazzle camouflage. The artwork, titled "Everybody Razzle Dazzle," was designed by Sir Peter Blake and commissioned by Liverpool Biennial, 14-18 NOW, the First World War Centenary Art, and Tate Liverpool, in partnership with Merseytravel and National Museums Liverpool.
Sir Peter Blake's Vision
Sir Peter Blake, who officially launched the ferry in its new livery, told the Liverpool ECHO: "It looks terrific. It’s pretty exceptional, the opportunity to do something that large and that iconic. And as you know, I have got quite strong links with the city – I’ve become an adopted son of Liverpool, so I was excited to do it." He added: "I’ve previously designed a bus, and in the 60s I did a big mural, which was 45ft long. But nothing like this. The scale is what makes an enormous difference."
The History of Dazzle Camouflage
The striking design uses a painting technique introduced to camouflage ships during WWI. Dazzle camouflage worked by confusing enemy submarines with contrasting colours and patchwork patterns, creating an optical illusion that broke up the ship's shape and obscured its movement in the water. Each ship's pattern featured unique colour and monochrome designs to prevent enemy U-boats and aircraft from recognising specific vessel classes. The inventor of dazzle painting, Norman Wilkinson, was influenced by avant-garde British painters such as Wyndham Lewis and David Bomberg.
From Temporary Art to Permanent Icon
The Dazzle Ferry was originally intended as a temporary two-year art commission to mark the WWI centenary, with plans to paint over it by December 2016. However, due to immense public popularity, Liverpool Biennial and Mersey Ferries extended the project until 2019. Ultimately, popular demand led to the decision to retain the vibrant paintwork indefinitely, until the vessel is retired. Snowdrop was one of three vessels commissioned to carry a dazzle livery, but it is the only one that remains a working vessel. The other two are the Edmund Gardner, a museum ship in Liverpool, and HMS President in London.
Recent Technical Issues
In late June 2026, the Dazzle Ferry faced issues when commuter and river explorer cruises were suspended for five consecutive days due to a technical problem. Mersey Ferries, operated by Merseytravel for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, announced the suspension on June 25, citing a "technical issue." A replacement bus service was put in place for commuters between Seacombe Ferry Terminal and Hamilton Square railway station, with ticket acceptance on Merseyrail services. A Mersey Ferries spokesperson said: "We have engineers working on site and hope to have this issue resolved as soon as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience."
Service Resumption and Future Plans
On June 30, the Combined Authority confirmed that service would resume later that day. A spokesperson stated: "After maintenance work carried out on the engine and a series of tests, we’re pleased to confirm that the Snowdrop will resume service later on today. We would like to thank our passengers for their patience while this issue was resolved." The technical issue was particularly critical because Snowdrop is currently the only ferry in operation on the Mersey, following the retirement and decommissioning of the Royal Iris earlier in 2026. However, a new £26 million ferry, The Royal Daffodil, built at Birkenhead's Cammell Laird, has been completing sea tests and is due to enter passenger service within weeks, which will provide a backup vessel.
