It’s reported that P&O Ferries have effectively sacked all 800 crew members across its entire fleet and stopped all its sailings today (Thursday 17 March).
A spokesperson for P&O Ferries said it had to take a “very difficult but necessary decision to secure the future viability of our business which employs an additional 2,200 people, and supports billions in trade in and out of the UK. However, in its current state, P&O Ferries is not a viable business. We have made a £100m loss year on year, which has been covered by our parent DP World. This is not sustainable. Our survival is dependent on making swift and significant changes now.”
Unions say the jobs were axed without notice and agency workers are lined up to staff vessels going forward.
P&O apologised to customers on Twitter, saying: “Regretfully, P&O Ferries services are unable to run for the next few hours. Our port teams will guide you and travel will be arranged via an alternative operator.”
