P&O Ferries latest news

2022 - 4 - 27

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Image courtesy of "Daily Mail"

'Inexperienced' crew blamed for P&O Ferries ship losing power and ... (Daily Mail)

P&O Ferries welcomed freight customers last night, running a 11pm ferry between Dover and Calais; The European Causeway left drifting in the Irish sea ...

Through that package, I intend to block the outcome that P&O Ferries has pursued, including paying workers less than the minimum wage.' It is understood the business needed to cut costs to avoid collapse as it was losing money at a rate of £100 million per year. Peter Hebblethwaite should be struck off the directors register and put behind bars. Another ship on the Dover-to-Calais route, the Pride Of Kent, remains in detention. What that clearly demonstrates is how useless the law is. The European Causeway had already been detained last month 'based on concerns over its safety' and to 'prevent them going to sea', the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said. The ferry normally operates between Cairnryan, Scotland, and Larne, Northern Ireland. There is no deterrent to companies like P&O who are getting away with destroying people's lives. He also admitted his company broke the law by failing to consult unions about the redundancies. Then it stopped and completely blacked out. They managed to get it working again and we were sailing for another 10 minutes. Freight queueing at The Port of Dover the 11pm P&O ferry from the Port of Dover to Calais last night

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Image courtesy of "The Independent"

P&O Ferries: A timeline of everything that's gone wrong for the ... (The Independent)

From firings to failed inspections, MP bashings to boycotts – here's a timeline of the weekly PR nightmares that have plagued the brand since it fired 800 ...

Appearing before the Transport Select Committee, Grant Shapps said: “In my view, though it’s a matter for P&O themselves, I think that they need to repay furlough money. The P&O vessel European Causeway was detained in Larne, Northern Ireland while the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) carried out a safety inspection. “This is less than half the current UK national minimum wage.” Start your Independent Premium subscription today. P&O Ferries seafarers who were onboard the vessel that lost power and was adrift in the Irish Sea reportedly refused to continue working on the ship. On 17 March, whispers started making their way along the travel grapevine. P&O confirmed the situation on Twitter, blaming “a mechanical issue”. Tugboats were sent to guide the ship back to port. P&O said the complaint was down to an “administrative misunderstanding”. P&O Ferries CEO Peter Hebblethwaite was dragged in front of a joint hearing of the transport and business committees to answer for his actions. The staff members - who were part of the new agency crew P&O had hired - were found to have broken company rules on alcohol consumption. “The safety of our passengers and crew is our foremost priority and we continue to operate a zero tolerance policy towards drinking whilst on duty.” Something big was happening with P&O Ferries: ships were being told to return to port and remain there; sailings were being quietly cancelled; rumours were circulating that the company had requested the services of security firms in anticipation that things could get ugly.

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Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

P&O Ferries boss 'will have to go', transport secretary tells MPs (The Guardian)

Grant Shapps hits out at Peter Hebblethwaite – but travel firm says calls for chief to leave 'need to stop'

They added: “We call on government to have a constructive dialogue with P&O Ferries about the future and how we get this country moving in a positive direction after two very difficult years for business. “I don’t think it’s right that having claimed that money, they then sacked the workers in such a premeditated way,” he said. On Tuesday, the Trades Union Congress called for a public and commercial boycott of the firm, claiming it deserves “pariah status” for the way it treated its employees. He has rejected calls to resign. “Instead of taking that gamble with worker and passenger safety, the government must step in now and take over the running of all P&O vessels.” Grant Shapps told the Commons transport select committee on Wednesday it was “completely unsustainable” that the chief executive, Peter Hebblethwaite, remained in position, and denied accusations that the firm had “got away with it”.

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Image courtesy of "Sky News"

Grant Shapps says P&O Ferries boss 'will have to go' (Sky News)

The transport secretary's words come after nearly 800 workers were sacked without notice last month.

Mr Shapps also said that P&O Ferries should repay £11m of furlough money it claimed from the taxpayer during the coronavirus pandemic, adding that the company "will have to pay the minimum wage" when new legislation is introduced. The embattled boss of P&O Ferries "will have to go", the transport secretary has told MPs. Mr Shapps told the Commons' transport select committee: "He will have to go."

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Image courtesy of "Financial Times"

P&O ferry under inspection as Dover to Calais services resume (Financial Times)

Vessel undergoing checks after 'mechanical failure' as shipping company operates first ferries on crucial route.

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Image courtesy of "Belfast Live"

P&O ferry from Cairnryan to Larne adrift in Irish Sea - as it happened (Belfast Live)

The ship became stranded five miles off the Co Antrim coast before making its way back to port.

The RNLI said their boats were sent to an area around one mile from The Maidens, a rocky area north of Larne. Once in dock a full independent investigation will be undertaken.” There are no reported injuries onboard and all the relevant authorities have been informed. The company tweeted: "Due to a mechanical issue with the Causeway in the Irish Sea, tugs from Larne and Belfast were deployed to guide it back to port. "Once the ship is back in Port a full inspection will take place." "I've been back and forth on this route all my life but I've never sat in the middle of the sea before with the lights off - a bit odd," he said

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Image courtesy of "Travel Weekly UK"

Grant Shapps calls for P&O Ferries to return £11m of furlough (Travel Weekly UK)

Transport minister Grant Shapps says P&O Ferries should return £11 million of furlough payments after it controversially sacked almost 800 seafarers last ...

“So they have no choice: they are going to have to pay the proper wage for the job, the minimum wage for the job. “They will have to pay the minimum wage and on May 10, in the Queen’s Speech as promised, we will in the detail ensure that we are legislating in the Harbours Bill to make sure that minimum wage is required for routes which generally ply their trade between here in France or here in Holland or regularly back and forth in our waters. He told the committee that it is “completely unsustainable” that Hebblethwaite remains in position after he “openly and deliberately” sought to break the law, adding: “He will have to go.”

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Image courtesy of "TTG"

Shapps urges P&O Ferries to repay £11m furlough cash and for ... (TTG)

P&O Ferries should repay £11 million in furlough support and will be compelled to give staff minimum wage, transport secretary Grant Shapps has said.

"The nine-point plan is to try and tackle every single weakness they have tried to exploit.” So they have no choice, they are going to have to pay the proper wage, the minimum wage for the job and I think until they do those three things they won’t find they’re back into the affections of the travelling public.” Asked whether P&O had “got away with it”, Shapps said there were several steps he was taking.

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