DP World Freeports suspension

According to the RMT, DP World subsidiary, P&O Ferries, owes £146m in contributions to the Merchant Navy Ratings Penson Fund (MNRPF) which was set up in 1978 and represents more than 19,000 members across the UK.

RMT believes that DP World’s failure to meet its obligations to the fund is not only putting the future of the MNRPF in doubt, but also creating significant risk for small maritime employers who could be forced to meet this debt if the deficit is not met.

Moreover, public bodies such as the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Antarctic Survey are employers in the pension scheme, potentially putting the taxpayer in line to plug shortfalls in the fund.

 “It is not acceptable that at a time when DP World recently splashed out on lavish sports tournaments to the tidy sum of £147m that hardworking seafarers’ pensions are put at risk and other MNRPF sponsoring employers, who are already struggling financially due to the pandemic, are potentially facing an additional bill due to P&O Ferries inability to pay,” said RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch.

Freeports

“DP World have interests in four maritime Freeports contracts and as result will be benefiting from the lower tax rates applied to a range of activities within Freeports at the same time that it is failing to meet its pension obligations.

“RMT will be making it clear to government that they must take immediate action against DP World and suspend their involvement in Freeports until they make good what they owe to the MNRPF,” he said.

DP World declined to comment when approached by Port Strategy. P&O Ferries was also contacted but had not responded at the time of writing.