Criminal Probe Launched After P&O Ferries Sack Nearly 800 Staff

On 17 March, Ferry operator P&O Ferries, registered in Dublin and owned by the Dubai Sovereign Investment Fund, fired almost 800 staffers across its entire fleet.

Criminal and civil investigations have been launched into the conduct of P&O Ferries after the company sacked 786 crew without notice or consultation, according to the Daily Mail.

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of United Kingdom Kwasi Kwarteng confirmed that two probes had been launched.

“Following my letter to the Insolvency Service last week, formal criminal and civil investigations into P&O Ferries have now commenced. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and I will continue to follow this matter closely as the investigations progress,” Kwarteng tweeted.

Prior to that, the UK government threatened to legislate in order to make it harder for seafaring companies to undercut wages.

Earlier, P&O Ferries fired all crews as it reportedly wanted to replace them with lower-paid staff. The lay-off of all 800 employees led to a complete halt in the company's activities and serious disruptions in passenger and cargo services between the UK and mainland Europe.

P&O typically operates 14 trips per day between Dover (England) and Calais (France), three between Liverpool (England) and Dublin (Ireland) and seven on the important cargo route between Larne (Northern Ireland) and Cairnryan (Scotland). In addition, the company provided a night ferry from Hull (England) to Rotterdam (Netherlands). All of these trips have been cancelled.