The announcement of the company comes a few weeks after the company laid off hundreds in Scandinavia and the Baltics as travel bookings and freight volumes are heavily weighted by the coronavirus crisis. The company has already raised its sailing number on many routes, and some vessels have been taken out of service.

The furlough and redundancies are applicable to both shored and ship-based workers, including those employed on the Irish Sea and North Sea boats, and negotiations are underway with the trade unions.

Stena Line, which believes its passenger numbers will not rebound until well into 2021, said the cost reductions would help ensure that its supply lines of critical goods are maintained in Europe.

According to the UK's Work Retention Program, all workers put on Furlough Leave will receive 80 percent of their wages set at £ 2,500 a month from the government. Stena Line decided, however, to retain all wages at 80%. Employees in Ireland will receive the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Support Scheme, which offers up to a maximum of € 410 a week for up to 70 percent of salaries.

Maritime Business World