P&O Ferries is to close its Liverpool-Dublin service and redeploy two ships used on the Irish Sea crossing onto other routes.
The Unite union described the termination of the service as a “historic loss” and vowed to ensure that more than 30 members employed at Liverpool docks servicing the ferries are fully compensated.
Unite national officer Bobby Morton said: “This is an important ferry service and its loss will be a huge blow to the people of Liverpool and Dublin.”
“Unite will now ensure that the affected workers are fully compensated for being made redundant and will also be providing assistance with finding them appropriate new employment opportunities.”
P&O Ferries, owned by Dubai-based DP World, confirmed that the route would close “towards the end” of the 2023 due to the unavailability of a berth in Liverpool for next year.
The company said: “The owner of the Port of Liverpool has informed us that our current berth will no longer be available after the end of 2023.
“Without agreement with the port owner to provide a berth in Liverpool, it is impossible for P&O Ferries to continue operating on this route.
“Extensive negotiations with the owner of our Liverpool site to extend our lease at the port or find an alternative site for our Liverpool-Dublin service to operate from have been unsuccessful.”
A spokesperson for Peel Ports Group confirmed that the P&O Ferries service would no longer be calling into Liverpool on expiration of the existing contract at the end of 2023.
A statement from the ferry firm added: “Unfortunately, despite utmost efforts by P&O Ferries to find a viable solution, no suitable alternative has been offered that would enable us to maintain the current service into 2024.
“We are saddened by our forced withdrawal from this route, which will reduce competition and the choice of sailings available to customers on a crossing where there is currently only one alternative operator.”
The route, served by 24 sailings a week, is principally used to transport freight between the UK and Ireland.
“We are now beginning a consultation process with our employees affected by the intended closure of this service,” P&O Ferries said.
“We will offer support to affected colleagues to find alternative employment within our business, or where that is not possible, help to find employment elsewhere.
“We have also worked to ensure that where possible our customers affected by the intended closure of the Liverpool-Dublin route can access alternative services with other operators.”
The company insisted that it remains “fully committed” to serving customers on its other Irish Sea crossing between Larne and Cairnryan and on its network around the UK.
P&O Ferries was widely condemned last year for abruptly terminating the contracts of almost 800 seafarers and replacing them with lower cost labour as a “last resort” to save the company