Brittany Ferries has axed two services, idled half its fleet and sought French government aid after its passenger numbers fell 75%. UK quarantines for arrivals from Spain and France have worsened demand for ferries, already suffering from Brexit uncertainty last year

More shipping companies have committed to accelerate their plans towards a carbon-neutral future, while vessels calling at ports in South Korea and the US have two years to adapt to new emissions control rules

Condor Ferries says it has been hit by travel restrictions imposed by Jersey and Guernsey and will switch to reduced crossing and introduce an unspecified number of redundancies

Analysts argue that investors and financiers need to act prudently to avoid the immediate collapse of companies, but the only way for ferry operators to meet financial obligations and fulfil their service requirements is with funding from the Greek state directly or from the EU

DFDS reported a slim profit and cautious optimism as passenger travel in Europe restarted and the fall in freight volumes slowed. But last-minute bookings meant it was uncertain if this would last, with travel tied to economic recoveries

Among the ships damaged by the blast is passengership Orient Queen, which listed severely to starboard in the port and is lying sunk on its side