Stewart Dickson said: “This is a disappointing development for Larne and its harbour, however I do recognise that P&O is simply responding to the economic conditions which make the route unprofitable to run. Furthermore, P&O have informed me that they did make serious attempts to continue the route, through the procurement of lower cost chartered fast-craft, but this has been unsuccessful.
“Nonetheless, I welcome P&O’s continued commitment to Larne, with £500,000 of investment being put into their Cairnryan-bound vessels over the next 18 months, as well as the development of new business in the Port of Larne.
“The Port is a vital gateway to East Antrim, and key to developing our industry through freight connections, but also by delivering tourists to our great attractions such as the Glens, the Gobbins Path and Carrickfergus Castle.”