Chief Executive of Mersey Maritime, Chris Shirling-Rooke, says he is dismayed by P&O’s decision which he feels is a betrayal of its previous commitment to the Government’s Maritime 2050 strategy, which seeks to set the tone for the UK maritime sector in the next three decades.
“People are at the heart of the maritime sector and they are at the heart of the Maritime 2050 strategy. We’ve all signed up to it and made that commitment. So to see P&O treat its own people, many of them dedicated and experienced seafarers, in this way is hugely disappointing.
“People are losing their jobs, their livelihoods. Seafarers were among the heroes of the pandemic. They put themselves at risk to ensure our country stayed supplied. 95% of our imported goods arrive by sea. They play a critical role and this is a slap in the face.
But it’s more than that. The way P&O have treated their customers in the middle of all this – disrupting vital supplies of food and medicines and all the other goods that move back and forth – is just shocking. Services are now going to be disrupted for days. The knock-on effect to companies and people in the supply chain is going to be significant.”
