The managing director of the Steam Packet claims a new flagship vessel will usher in a new standard of ferry travel.

Construction is underway on the Manxman, which will replace the Ben-My-Chree in 2023.

Brian Thompson said: ’The main objective of the design team was to have a higher quality vessel.

I think we’re all very used to the Ben and the Mannanan, so the Manxman will set a new standard for passenger services - from the seats, to the design to the loungers.

He said that there will be ’significant differences’ in layout compared to the Ben, adding that it was the first time the interior of a vessel had been designed by a dedicated design team.

Asked if there were new design considerations that came with legislation changes over the years, Mr Thompson said: ’Yes, this vessel has been built with future-proofing in mind.

’The engines can be converted to run on other types of fuel - decarbonisation is a hot topic at the moment and it’s certainly something that’s not going away, so it’s foremost on our mind for vessels in the future.

He said the Manxman was currently on schedule and on budget at £78 million, which is a ’considerable increase’ on the amount that the company has spent on a vessel before, but when compared to other ferries built around the UK, it was ’quite a saving’ to build it in South Korea.

Asked about the Manxman’s service life, Mr Thompson said that while ships are normally designed with a 20-30 year lifespan, it ultimately depends on how long a company wants to keep paying rising maintenance costs as a vessel ages.