The minister for economic development has met with Shipping firm Dohle to discuss the firm's new container freight service, being run between Douglas and Liverpool, by Ramsey-based Mezeron.

There is concern the business, which has taken much of Tesco and Shoprite's freight from the Steam Packet, could have serious consequences for the ferry company, which has always used profits from its freight operation to subsidise passenger services.

Allan Bell says he needed to know more about how the situation had arisen (play audio file):

Mr Bell and Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne are due to meet Steam Packet representatives today (Thursday).