P&O cancels services and tells ships to stay in porton March 17, 2022 at 10:27 am

P&O Ferries has paused its services “in preparation for a company announcement” later on Thursday.

The ferry operator said it was not going into liquidation but all ferries had been instructed to stay in port.

Union RMT urged the firm to protect jobs amid speculation that hundreds of crewmembers could “be sacked and replaced with foreign labour”.

As a result some sailings scheduled for today have been cancelled, with passengers told to use other companies.

P&O services scheduled today include 14 between Dover and Calais and three between Liverpool and Dublin.

A spokesperson said: “P&O Ferries is not going into liquidation. We have asked all ships to come alongside, in preparation for a company announcement. Until then, services from P&O will not be running and we are advising travellers of alternative arrangements.”

The cross-Channel operator has said on Twitter that sailings between Dover and Calais scheduled for 11:10am, 11:15am and 12:35pm will no longer run, and customers with tickets were instructed to check-in to rival ferry company DFDS’ services.

In a message sent to staff, the company said the company announcement “will secure the long-term viability of P&O Ferries” and has the backing of Dubai-based DP World, which bought the ferry company for £322m in 2019.

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “We are deeply disturbed by growing speculation that the company are today planning to sack hundreds of UK seafarers and replace them with foreign labour.

“We have instructed our members to remain onboard and are demanding our members across P&O’s UK operations are protected and that the Secretary of State intervenes to save UK seafarers from the dole queue.”