P&O Ferries will resume cross-Channel sailings for leisure travellers for the first time since sacking nearly 800 seafarers. The ferry firm said its ship Spirit of Britain will leave Dover for Calais at 4.05pm on Tuesday.
The confirmation comes after it restarted freight-only sailings on the key route between the UK and France on April 26. Spirit of Britain is the only vessel that can currently be used to sail on its cross-Channel operations.
It was cleared to sail on April 22 after being detained 11 days earlier, when 23 failures were found by Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) inspectors. Pride of Kent remains under detention after failing an MCA inspection, while Pride of Canterbury and Spirit of France are also out of action as they have not been fully examined.
Spirit of Britain's initial tourist sailings following the resumption of operations are fully booked with the earliest date available to purchase a ticket for a cross-Channel trip being Saturday. P&O Ferries was widely condemned after replacing 786 crew members with cheaper agency staff on March 17, suspending most voyages following the decision.
Passenger services have already resumed on its three other UK routes, which are between Liverpool and Dublin, Ireland; between Cairnryan, Scotland and Larne, Northern Ireland; and between Hull and Rotterdam.
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