The government could not interfere in the Steam Packet’s decision to buy a new bigger ship - despite it meaning Manx taxpayers will have to pay more for the Liverpool ferry terminal.

Infrastructure Minister Tim Baker told the House of Keys last month that a scour protection scheme was needed for the quay wall at Prince’s Half-Tide Dock.

He said this would come at a ’substantial’ extra cost but his department had a contractual obligation to protect landlord Peel Port’s assets.

And the cost would be higher still because of the Steam Packet’s decision to buy the Manxman, whose bow thrusters will put more pressure on the quay wall than the Ben-my-Chree.

In the Keys this week, Onchan MHK Julie Edge said: ’Clearly, the Steam Packet board have gone out and procured a new vessel and the Isle of Man people are now having to pay out additional funds to ensure that the Half-Tide Dock is satisfactory to accept that vessel.

’I am quite shocked there have been no discussions around this.

’My big concern is that the contract in place with the Peel Group clearly has caused implications that perhaps nobody in here was aware of at the time of voting for the Half-Tide Dock.’

Mr Baker replied: ’It was a clear contractual obligation on the part of the department at the time it acquired the land to enter into a suitable scheme to protect the quay wall from the scour implications of the vessels that would use it. Nothing has changed in that regard other than the development of the detailed design.’

Lawrie Hooper (LibVan, Ramsey) asked if the Steam Packet had been made aware of the additional costs when it opted to acquire the Manxman and whether the department had been aware of what ship was being proposed.

Mr Baker said the detailed design of the ship was entirely a matter for the Steam Packet. ’There was no ability for the department to interfere in the Steam Packet Company as an arm’s length body’s vessel purchase decisions.’

Ms Edge asked if the Manxman would mean extra costs for the taxpayer for Heysham too.

Mr Baker said there was no definitive cost for the scour protection scheme at Liverpool as the detailed design was still being worked on.

The £78m Manxman, due to enter service in 2023, is 8m longer than the Ben-my-Chree, has 495 sq m of extra space for freight and vehicles and will have the capacity for 949 passengers compared with the Ben’s 630.