P&O Ferries

All sailings have been cancelled and the entire UK fleet of crew members sacked by P&O Ferries, the passenger boat company owned by Dubai-based DP World.

In a statement on 17 March, P&O said its business was ‘no longer viable’, having made a €118.7 million loss year-on-year, which DP World has had to cover.

“This is not sustainable,” the company said. “Our survival is dependent on making swift and significant changes now. Without these changes there is no future for P&O Ferries. These circumstances have resulted in a very difficult but necessary decision, which was only taken after seriously considering all the available options.

“As part of the process we are starting today, we are providing 800 seafarers with immediate severance notices and will be compensating them for this lack of advance notice with enhanced compensation packages.”

The move has inevitably brought disruption for passengers with P&O Ferries directing passengers with tickets to rival operator, DFDS.

The Port of Dover, from which P&O usually operates 14 services per day between Dover and Calais, recognises the difficulties faced by the company and pledges to work with the company.

“This has clearly been a tough decision for one of our long-standing ferry operators,” said Doug Bannister, chief executive at the Port of Dover.

“The continued commitment to Dover is undoubtedly welcome and reinforces the desirability of the route, but the port is a close community and so we are acutely aware of the impact this will have on those directly affected as well as those who live and work with them. They are in our thoughts at this unsettling time.”

The Port is working to minimise any disruption to the local communities, working with its Kent partners as the transition to P&O Ferries’ new arrangements takes place.

DP World has been approached for comment.