P&O Ferries suspends all services pending 'major' company announcement

P&O Ferries which sails major routes between Britain and Ireland has insisted it is "not going into liquidation" after it announced it was currently unable to run services "for the next few hours" adding that they are are preparing for a company announcement.

In an internal company statement, the ferry operator said it will be “making a major announcement today” which would “secure the long-term viability of P&O Ferries”.

The statement added: “To facilitate this announcement all our vessels have been asked to discharge their passengers and cargo and stand by for further instructions.

“This means we’re expecting all our ports to experience serious disruption today.”

P&O Ferries has a fleet of more than 20 ships that sail across the English Channel, North Sea, and Irish Sea, the firm's website said.

It has almost 4,000 members employees and operates more than 30,000 sailings a year.

Following the coronavirus outbreak, P&O Ferries warned in May 2020 that around 1,100 workers could lose their jobs as part of a plan to make the business “viable and sustainable”.

A spokesman for the firm said: “P&O Ferries is not going into liquidation.

“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.”

The company that would become P&O was founded in 1837 after signing a government contract to transport post by boat between London and the Iberian Peninsula.