P&O Ferries, which sails major routes including between Britain and Ireland and Britain and France, said it was currently unable to run services and would update its customers soon about crossings scheduled later today.
“Regretfully, P&O Ferries services are unable to run for the next few hours,” the company said on Twitter, advising passengers that alternative carriers would be used to allow them to make their journeys.
P&O Ferries has denied it is going into liquidation.
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.”
Dubai ports firm DP World bought the company in 2019.
P&O 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.
#PODover 09:15 – Regretfully, P&O Ferries services are unable to run for the next few hours. Please arrive at the port as booked and we will arrange to get you away on an alternative carrier as quickly as possible. Once at the port please make your way to the DFDS check-in booths
— P&O Ferries Updates (@POferriesupdate) March 17, 2022
Stormont Assembly members whose constituency incorporates the port of Larne have expressed concern about the potential implications for the P&O route to Cairnryan in Scotland.
East Antrim MLA John Stewart, who has relatives who work at the port, said staff were uncertain about what would be announced.
“The information is being nothing more than drip-fed to them,” the Ulster Unionist MLA told BBC Radio Ulster.
He said it was a “worrying” development.
#POLarne / #POCairnryan – we apoloise for any uncertainty, will have an update about the 12:00 sailings soon. We will text and post to social media.
— P&O Ferries Updates (@POferriesupdate) March 17, 2022
“For the staff, for Larne port itself, particularly for the local effect here, and also for businesses and passengers that regularly use that service, it’s an invaluable local service over to Cairnryan and I think this news will be deeply worrying for all of them, especially in the absence of any concrete information as to what the long-term strategy is going to be.”
His constituency counterpart, Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson, said: “It’s very disturbing, of course, for passengers but particularly concerning for the port of Larne in my constituency of East Antrim.
“Larne port is pivotal for tonnes and tonnes of load freight that comes through that port on a daily basis.”
Mr Dickson said the issue needed attention at the top of government.
“It should be people like Grant Shapps the transport minister making an announcement because this is affecting the whole of the United Kingdom,” he told Radio Ulster.
Mr Shapps said his officials will be having “urgent discussions” with P&O Ferries as he expressed concern at the suspension of sailings.
He told the House of Commons: “I am concerned with this news which is breaking on P&O Ferries. I understand they have temporarily paused their operations and that’s causing disruption at the short straits – Calais-Dover – as well as some other ports.
“I’m working with the Kent Resilience Forum and I’ve just instructed them to become intricately involved and other partners in this, and we’ll be taking steps later today – including ensuring that my officials will be having urgent discussions with P&O about the situation, particularly of concern for their workers.”
Additional reporting Reuters
