The UK's Department of Transport has cancelled a contract with a company to provide extra ferries in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Seaborne Freight was awarded a £13m contract in December even though it had never run a ferry service, nor had any ships.
The British Government has cancelled the order after one of Seaborne's backers, the Irish ferry company, Arklow Shipping, withdrew from the deal.
The UK's Department of Transport said it was clear that Seaborne would not be able to meet its contractual requirements.