#CancelledHSSsailings – Stena Line have cancelled HSS fast-craft Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead sailings over the Christmas and New Year periods, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The decision to withdraw the scheduled sailings is only a month before the busy festive season from when sailings were due to start on 20 December and run up to early January 2015.

In response to Afloat.ie a statement was issued on behalf of Stena Line "In recent years Stena Line has deployed the HSS for a few days over the Christmas holiday period on its Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire service. For commercial and operational reasons the company has decided not to reactivate the vessel this year for the short Christmas holiday period. Customers who have already booked on the service will be accommodated on other sailings best suited to their travel requirements."

The statement added "Stena Line is currently engaged in ongoing discussions with Dun Laoghaire Harbour in relation to the provision of a seasonal fast craft service in 2015."

There has been widespread speculation in recent years over the future of the HSS service and that of the loss-making route. In addition the fast-craft which is expensive to run has for the last four years operated to a summer-only service between April to September.

This latest development of cancelled Dun Laoghaire route sailings over the festive season follows a previous report on Afloat.ie regarding Stena Line's route from neighbouring Dublin Port. A contractor to Stena Line, that is converting the ro-pax Stena Superfast X stated that she is to be deployed on the Dublin-Holyhead route in January 2015.

Stena Line confirmed their position as to the route deployment of the Stena Superfast X in which she will either be used within their network or that she may be chartered to a third party operator.