A trade union boss has spoken of "an intensely worrying situation" as agency workers are set to crew P&O Ferries - including across the Dover Strait, which is the world's busiest shipping lane. Nautilus International general secretary Mark Dickinson likened sailing the stretch of water to "walking across a six-lane motorway at rush hour".
The Dover Strait, one of four routes that P&O operates, is well-known as being the busiest in the world, with 500 to 600 ships passing through every day. Trade union Nautilus International, which represents some of the 800 workers fired without notice by P&O yesterday to be immediately replaced by cheaper labour from a third party company, has now urged the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to “make sure the ships are safe” as the new crews are “unfamiliar” with the vessels and routes.
P&O Ferries has told passengers sailings will be suspended “for the next few days”. Nautilus International general secretary Mark Dickinson said it was “an intensely worrying situation”.
