Around 200 jobs could be lost with the scrapping of the ferry service between Birkenhead and Dublin.

Ferry operators DFDS have announced that the regular service to Ireland will cease at the end of the month.

The route between Dublin and Heysham in Lancashire will also cease operations.

Steve Todd, national officer of the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers' union, said: "This announcement is yet another savage blow to the ferry industry in UK and Irish waters."

He said he hoped a soluition could be found to keep the Liverpool/Dublin route running in a more efficient form.

In a statement, DFDS indicated that the routes has made substantial losses "due to the considerable overcapacity on the market."

Commenting on a sharp decline in demand since 2008 the statement said: "It has not been possible to develop a business plan that would lead to a significant result improvements within a reasonable period of time."

Around 50 jobs will be lost from the company's Dublin centre, but no workers in Birkenhead will be affected.

But DFDS conceded that the closing of the routes would result in the termination of several contracts with external suppliers.

Around 50 ships' crews from Britain, Holland, Poland, Italy and elsewhere in Europe, as well as 20 Filipinos, are anxiously considering their futures.

DFDS said: "For the three owned ships deployed on the routes, and their crews, a number of possible options are being investigated, including a sale, charter and alternative deployment on DFDS's route network. One ship is expected to be transferred to DFDS's Baltin route network."

Representatives of all crew affected are taking part in consultations with the operators.

Niels Smedegaard, chief executive officer of DFDS said: "It is with deep regret that we close these routes.

"Despite an impressive effort from employees and a very competitive ananysis of the market and evaluation of turnaround scenarios, we have not succeeded in developing viable solutions for the routes."

The Birkenhead to Dublin ferry curently sails twice daily, Tuesday to Saturday, and once on Sundays and Mondays.