The chairman of the Isle of Man Steam Packet has said a "clear government statement" is needed on whether the firm can sell its current backup ferry.

The Steam Packet outlined plans to sell the 26-year-old ropax Ben-My-Chree in its last annual report, which was published last summer.

At a Tynwald (Manx parliament) select committee on the regulation of the island, a government-owned firm heard that the company's strategy was to retain the ro-ro freight-only MV Arrow as a backup vessel instead because the costs of retaining the Ben-my-Chree were "twice as much.".

The chairman, Lars Ugland, said a year after delivering its report, the company was still waiting for a reply on whether it could sell the Dutch-built ferry that served the main Douglas-Heysham route.

At the same committee, held earlier this month, Treasury Minister Alex Allinson said that the future role of Ben-My-Chree should be considered as part of a review of the company's service contract.

More BBC News reports on the Sea Services Agreement.