The Copenhagen-listed owner, which teamed up with LD Lineson a new route between the UK and France earlier this year, blamed recession forlower than expected second quarter results.

And it said the start-up of a competing route would hit itsnumbers even harder in the second half of the year.  

”Compared with last year, the quarter’s result has declinedconsiderably, as the upswing in 2011 peaked in Q2, after which the currenteconomic downturn began,” said CEO Niels Smedegaard.