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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Business
Sam Barker

P&O Ferries suspends all services at ports ahead of 'major announcement' today

P&O Ferries has dramatically suspended all services causing mass disruption at UK ports - ahead of a "major announcement" today.

Some customers have been waiting since the early hours of this morning to board their ferry, and have received no explanation as to what is going on.

P&O Ferries released a statement on social media saying: "Regretfully, P&O Ferries services are unable to run for the next few hours.

"Our Port Teams will guide you and travel will be arranged via an alternative operator. We apologise for the inconvenience this will have on your journey plans."

Transport Minister Robert Courts told the Commons today: “This is an emerging story which is causing great concern.”

One Twitter user wrote: "But who is going to let us know and when please? We were meant to be on the 6:30am ferry, sat here since 5:30am and not one person has explained anything?"

Drivers wanting to get from Dover to Calais are being told to use rival ferry firms or the Channel Tunnel.

Have your travel plans been plunged into chaos? Get in touch by emailing mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk

Lorries were forced to stack up after disruption from the ferry firm today (PA)

In an email seen by Hull Live, addressed to P&O Ferries staff, the company will make a major announcement today.

It reads: We will be making a major company announcement today which, with the support of our shareholder DP World, will secure the long-term viability of P&O Ferries.

"To facilitate this announcement all our vessels have been asked to discharge their passengers and cargo and standby for further instructions.

"This means we're expecting all our ports to experience serious disruption today so please bear with us and we will give further information in an all-colleague announcement later today.

"If you're in a customer facing role further information will follow separately on how we would like you to work with our customers.

"Thank you for your patience and support."

However, a P&O spokesperson said the firm was not going bust.

They added: "We have asked all ships to come alongside, in preparation for a company announcement.

"Until then, services from P&O will not be running and we are advising travellers of alternative arrangements."

Union the RMT alleges that UK jobs could be at risk, following reports in The Times.

The general secretary of the RMT, Mick Lynch, said: "We are deeply disturbed by growing speculation that the company are today planning to sack hundreds of UK seafarers and replace them with foreign labour.

"We have instructed our members to remain onboard and are demanding our members across P&O's UK operations are protected, and that the Secretary of State intervenes to save UK seafarers from the dole queue."

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