Stena Line's Irish Sea expansion blocked

Stena Line has had plans to take over P&O Ferries’ Liverpool-Dublin route blocked by the Competition Commission. Stena already operates three Irish Sea routes and the commission ruled that the route switch would result in a “substantial lessening” of competition with the number of companies offering services being cut from four to three. Stena Line managing director Gunnar Blomdahl said the company was “inevitably disappointed” by the decision. But he added: “Stena Line is always looking at ways to offer customers a wider range of route options and services across the Irish Sea.” The company has four weeks to appeal aganist the ruling. Stena’s existing Irish Sea routes are: Holyhead-Dublin, Fishguard-Rosslare and Stranraer-Belfast.