Isle of Man's £70m Liverpool ferry terminal further delayed

High winds at the site in January caused problems for crane operators

Further delays to the Manx government's £70m ferry port scheme in Liverpool are likely due to recent poor weather, the Manx infrastructure minister has said.

Construction of the new terminal at the Princes Half Tide Dock had been due to be completed in June.

Chris Thomas told the House of Keys marine work to protect the quay wall had been delayed by high winds creating a "testing environment".

There was also a risk the project could again go over budget, he added.

Costs have spiralled over the last four years as the estimated completion date has been slipped back.

Tynwald initially approved a budget of £38m for the new terminal in 2019, when ministers hoped it would be complete by the end of 2020.

The Covid-19 pandemic and other issues saw costs double and led to further delays.

Weather problems

Mr Thomas said about 30% of the scour protection work in the river, designed to limit damage to the quay walls caused by vessels, had been completed.

But high winds earlier this month had made it difficult to use the crane needed for this part of the project, he added.

Once finished, the site is due to accommodate up to 1,000 passengers traveling between the Isle of Man and the UK.

In an update to the House of Keys, Mr Thomas said though buildings on land were "progressing well", the delays to marine works meant the scheme may not be ready by the summer.

Some MHKs raised concerns this might have a knock-on impact on the Isle of Man Steam Packet's ferry schedules.

Mr Thomas said his department had been in "regular dialogue" with the public ferry operator to minimise disruption.