There are no plans at present for the Steam Packet’s new vessel to operate sailings to Dublin.

Summer-only services to the Irish capital are currently carried out by the fast craft Manannan.

The Ben-my-Chree was last used on the Dublin route in the summer of 2017.

Berthing trials have been carried out for the Steam Packet’s £76m new vessel Manxman ahead of it operating its first service sailing to Heysham on Thursday this week. It will initially operate only on daytime services.

Trials have been carried at Douglas and Heysham and the ship has called into Belfast. But the trials have not included Liverpool or Dublin.

A Steam Packet spokesman said: ‘Liverpool berthing trials will be carried out when DoI’s new berth is ready to accept vessels. Manxman, like Ben-my-Chree, is not compatible with the current floating berth at Liverpool.

‘There is no plan for Manxman to operate to/from Dublin currently, therefore there isn’t an intention to carry out berthing trials at Dublin before Manxman enters service.’

Work continues to deal with items on a snagging list established since before the vessel left the shipyard in South Korea.

This has included an improved coating applied to both car decks.

The spokesman said: ‘The deck coating applied during the build process met the design spec.

‘However, real world experience suggested the performance could be enhanced. Lane markings etc will be finished before Manxman enters service.’

He added that there are no ‘big ticket’ items on the snagging list. ‘The snagging list will be live until the warranty period of the vessel is closed out 18 months after transfer of ownership,’ he said,