P&O Ferries will halve crewing costs through by replacing 800 seafarers with agency workers, according to the boss of the ferry operator. Chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite informed affected staff the move will “secure the future of our business and set it up for growth”.
In a letter obtained by Mirror Online, Mr Hebblethwaite explained: “The changes we’re making to our crewing model today (will) reduce our crewing costs by 50%.” He wrote that the firm was “severing the contracts of all 800 Jersey-contracted seafaring colleagues with immediate effect”.
He added: “We have entered into a new partnership with International Ferry Management (IFM) who are an international crewing company, and they will be responsible for providing new crews for all those ships affected by this change. Our new teams of seafaring colleagues have already joined our ships.
“Our new crew are now going through a process of intense familiarisation and training programme on our ships, run by IFM. Only when that process has happened, will we gradually return to a normal service safely and securely – upholding our P&O standards and brand.”
Safety fears have been raised today over the decision by P&O Ferries to sack 800 seafarers with no notice and replace them with cheaper agency workers. Trade union Nautilus International, which represents some of those fired, 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 told passengers sailings will be suspended “for the next few days”. Nautilus International general secretary Mark Dickinson said it was “an intensely worrying situation” as sailing ships across the Channel is “like walking across a six-lane motorway at rush hour”.
Peter Aylott, director of policy at the UK Chamber of Shipping, which represents the industry, told Today he was “very confident that P&O will have put procedures in place to ensure that the individuals that are going to be in control of those vessels will be familiar with the ships, familiar with the systems and will be competent and qualified to operate those vessels in a safe manner”.
