Amendments to site boundaries of three offshore windfarm projects present ‘less of a potential impact’ to shipping and navigation for the island.

That’s according to Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall.

Mr Crookall said: ‘There have been amendments made to all three of these offshore windfarm projects; Morgan, Mona and Morecambe in respect of their overall site layout.

‘These have been amended to try and address concerns raised as part of the preparatory works for the respective Environmental Impact Assessments which will accompany the relevant applications for these developments.

‘Shipping and navigation was one of the main areas of concern raised for the Isle of Man.’

Earlier this year, the Isle of Man Steam Packet estimated that the proposals would put 50 more sailings a year at an increased risk of disruption as the windfarms would infringe on the ferries’ rough sea navigation routes.

‘The department has liaised with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company to understand its concerns and the importance of the Island’s lifeline services has been raised in responses to these projects from the Territorial Sea Committee.

‘Officers from the Department recently participated in a second Shipping and Navigation Hazard Workshop in relation to all of these projects, to understand whether the amendments made to the site boundaries reduced some or all of the potential impacts from a shipping and navigation perspective.’

Representatives from the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company as well as other Irish Sea operators were also in attendance.

‘Until such times as an application is submitted, the Department will continue to monitor and respond accordingly’, he added.

A response is being prepared by the Territorial Sea Committee to a consultation in respect of the proposed Morgan and Morecambe transmission assets preliminary environment reports.