A project to upgrade Douglas Harbour on the Isle of Man will according to the boss of the works "protect the infrastructure for the next 50 years".

Director of Harbours, David Gooberman said the harbour remained a "critical piece of infrastructure" and it and the new Isle of Man Steam Packet Company’s ferry Manxman (above pictured) at the King Edward VIII Pier needed to be protected.

The work which is to take place at the inner pier in Douglas, will see the project designed to keep the pier and the newbuild £76m ferry safe during gale force winds.

The walls of the pier will be repaired and fenders and mooring bollards replaced in a project which is to cost £6.61m. Work is to start this Saturday and is scheduled to last six months.

The new 950 passenger ferry, Manxman which last month entered service on the Douglas-Heysham route, is due to take over from the Ben-My-Chree as the company’s flagship vessel from October.

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Currently, both Manxman and Ben-My-Chree Afloat add, operate the main Isle of Man-England route using the King Edward VIII pier, with the newbuild running day time sailings and the existing flagship providing night-time crossings.

While fast-ferry Manannan maintains the link to Liverpool but using the adjacent Victoria Pier, where on the outside of the port’s main pier, is a layover berth. From there, the new and old ferries shift berths in between operating sailings based out of the King Edward VIII Pier.