SSH over i2p command line

[Phileas Fogg]

I have spent a few days trying to get an SSH command line for a server on my LAN over i2p without success. Somewhere I am making a mistake. I would appreciate any advice. The server and client configuration is as follows:

Server tunnels.conf
[SSH-SERVER]
type = server
host = 127.0.0.1
port = 22
inbound.length = 1
outbound.length = 1
inbound.quantity = 5
outbound.quantity = 5
i2cp.reduceOnIdle = true
keys = ssh.dat

Client tunnels.conf
[SSH-CLIENT]
type = client
host = 127.0.0.1
port = 8781
inbound.length = 1
outbound.length = 1
inbound.quantity = 5
outbound.quantity = 5
i2cp.dontPublishLeaseSet = true
destination = i2p_address_taken_from_distant_i2pdserver_console.b32.i2p
keys = ssh-to-PC.dat

Client command line instruction:
>>>>
> ssh -i /home/XXXX/.ssh/keys/i2pd_PC -L 8781:127.0.0.1:22 user@172.xx.xx.11 -N

bind [127.0.0.1]:8781: Address already in use
channel_setup_fwd_listener_tcpip: cannot listen to port: 8892
Could not request local forwarding.
<<<<

The issue is that port 8781 is reported as, "Address already in use."

I am unsure how to proceed. If the client tunnel config port is 8781, why is SSH not forming a connection over i2p to the server via 8781?

FYI, SSH creates a connection to the server without i2p if I use free port other than 8781. And a local forward to the server's port 7070 also works where an http browser on the client machine can open the server's i2pd console.