THERE have been concerns that P&O Ferries are going to be making all their staff redundant with immediate effect after they suspended all ferry crossings earlier this morning, according to ITV News.

The ferry operator had said in an internal statement earlier that it will make “a major announcement” which will “secure the long-term viability of P&O Ferries”.

Shebab Khan, a political reporter tweeted out that the company were going to make their staff redundant with "immediate effect".

He tweeted: "NEW: Understand that all sailing staff at P&O Ferries have been made redundant with immediate effect. The company will use an agency to keep their ferries running and current staff will be able to apply to the agency for work."

Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union general secretary Mick Lynch said there is “growing speculation that the company are today planning to sack hundreds of UK seafarers and replace them with foreign labour”.

He added: “We have instructed our members to remain on board 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.”

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the House of Commons he is “concerned” by the situation.

He said: “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.”

It operates four routes: Dover to Calais; Hull to Rotterdam; Liverpool to Dublin; and Cairnryan, Scotland, to Larne, Northern Ireland.

Sailings between Hull and Zeebrugge, Belgium, were axed in January 2021.