All sailings on a busy ferry route have been suspended as ships have been diverted to plug the gap filled by the sacking of 800 P&O staff. Stena Line has cancelled all crossings between Fishguard, Pembrokeshire and Rosslare, Republic of Ireland until 12 April, reports the BBC.
P&O sailings have been cancelled after the company immediately sacked 800 seafarers without notice. Stena Line has moved a ship to Northern Ireland in a bid to secure food supplies. Irish Ferries is accepting Stena Line customers.
Stena Line's Simon Palmer said: "Due to the suspension of P&O's services into Northern Ireland there were supply fears in the region." explained.
Stena has sent the Stena Nordica to help, and the Stena Europe has been moved. Mr Palmer said: "The issue is also compounded by the timing of the crisis happening during our annual dry-docking period, where our ships take turns going into the shipyard for a makeover.
"Otherwise we would've had a spare ship. The Stena Horizon from our Cherbourg route is currently in dry-dock, with that route being covered by the vessel Stena Estrid, which has been moved from her normal route on Holyhead to Dublin."
Hauliers in Northern Ireland said ferry capacity was halved after the P&O move.
