#RouteFuture? – There are growing fears that Stena Line may next year pull out of Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, in a move that sources estimate could cost the harbour company €7 million, reports The Irish Times. 

Stena recently announced it would not run its (HSS) high-speed ferry service between Dún Laoghaire and Holyhead in Wales over Christmas for "commercial and operational reasons".

Concerns have since emerged that it intends to pull out of Dún Laoghaire altogether and will not next year resume the service it normally operates from the port during the summer.

When Stena said it would not operate the Christmas holiday service, it noted it was in talks with the south Dublin harbour company in relation to providing the summer service next year.

Both sides say those negotiations are continuing. It is understood they are due to meet again for further talks in the near future.

Stena's withdrawal would be a major blow to Dún Laoghaire Harbour. Sources estimate that Stena's business is worth €7 million a year to the company, which lost €890,000 in 2013.

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