UK ferry operator P&O to scrap route to Belgium due to COVID impact

P&O Ferries will scrap its "loss-making" route between Hull and Zeebrugge, Belgium due to a coronavirus-induced sharp drop in demand.

The ferry operator said it had to take "difficult action" due to the "extended impact of Covid-19."

The company also blamed the ongoing Brexit uncertainty were to blame.

The dropping of the route means the vessels Pride of Bruges and the Pride of York will be out of service.

The Pride of Bruges had operated momentarily, while the Pride of York has stopped operating since the pandemic.

The number of services between Dover and Calais is also expected to be reduced from six ferries to four, with voyages by the European Seaway and the Pride of Burgundy discontinued, putting 140 jobs at risk.

According to Darren Procter, national secretary for the Rail, Maritime, and Transport union, the Hull to Zeebrugge route had been challenging for many years and the pandemic had compounded the problem.

Proctor noted that the said scrapping of the route would impact Hull economically as travelers on these vessels use local amenities, such as having pub meals or stays in hotels.