Sailings of the MV Balmoral to the island have been cancelled with immediate effect.

Operators White Funnel have informed passengers that it has had to cancel all sailings from Llandudno and Whitehaven to the Isle of Man scheduled to take place this month as well as the local cruises from the Isle of Man planned for July 21 to 23.

This follows an announcement by the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency. It is undertood the issue concerns the lack of safety at sea certification for international crossings.

The remainder of Balmoral’s 2017 programme is unaffected and she will operate as scheduled from Llandudno, Menai Bridge and Liverpool on coastal excursions later in July and again in September.

White Funnel said it was ’bitterly disappointed and frustrated’ by the turn of events, coming at such a late stage and having gone to ’considerable expense’ to market its programme of Isle of Man sailings.

’We can only apologise for the inconvenience and disappointment caused by these enforced cancellations,’ it said. ’We now have to try to make good the substantial loss of business White Funnel will incur as a result of these cancellations which are beyond our control.’

Refunds for all those booked on sailings between July 21-23 will be automatically processed and White Funnel said it would work through this as quickly as possible.

Passengers booked on July 17 are being asked to consider transferring to the Round Anglesey sailings on either July 18 or 19 or in September at no additional charge.

These passengers are asked to contact the office to transfer or request a refund.

The Maritime & Coastguard Agency is the regulatory body which issues Balmoral’s UK passenger certification.

White Funnel said the MCA’s announcement on Monday that sailings with passengers on UK to Isle of Man routes must not take place with immediate effect came after a brief exchange of correspondence.