P&O Ferries latest news

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”.

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."

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

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.”