P&O Ferries has suspended sailings ahead of a “major announcement” but insisted it is “not going into liquidation”. In an internal company statement, the ferry operator said it will be “making a major announcement today” which will “secure the long-term viability of P&O Ferries”.
The statement added: “To facilitate this announcement all our vessels have been asked to discharge their passengers and cargo and stand by for further instructions. This means we’re expecting all our ports to experience serious disruption today.”
Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union general secretary Mick Lynch said there is “growing speculation that the company are planning to sack hundreds of UK seafarers and replace them with foreign labour." He added: “We have instructed our members to remain on board 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.”
