P&O Ferries service from Cairnryan to Larne resumes, says company

A P&O ferry came into the port of Cairnryan on Monday

Passengers on P&O Ferries from Scotland to Northern Ireland have been told some services have now resumed.

The company suggested over the weekend that "tourist travel" would return on Thursday, 14 April.

But on Monday it tweeted some sailings have resumed, with departures from Cairnryan at 04:00 BST, 12:00 and 20:00 and Larne at 08:00, 16:00 and 23:59.

The European Causeway boat used on the service was detained in Larne last month over safety concerns.

That followed the company sacking 800 staff without notice and replacing them with cheaper agency workers.

There was confusion over the weekend when P&O initially tweeted that passengers could come on board from Sunday, but that changed to Wednesday before Thursday was suggested as a likely start date.

The operator's Dover-Calais service is expected to resume on that date. P&O said on Monday sailings "remain cancelled".

• P&O ferry detained in Larne over safety concerns back sailing

• P&O Larne-Cairnryan passenger service facing delay

On Saturday the European Causeway sailed, with limited services, on a return journey between Larne and Cairnryan.

It was the first time the vessel had been allowed to sail since it was detained in Larne a fortnight ago, but only freight was transported on the vessel. It is now understood foot passengers are allowed to travel again.

'We only happened to find out by chance' - Grainne Connolly at Larne Port

Normally a busy hub for travellers and freight goods, Larne Port was quiet on Monday afternoon.

A few lorries and trucks drove off the P&O ferry European Causeway which docked at 14:00 BST from Cairnryan, but there were no cars and only three foot passengers.

There was general confusion about which services were running. One passenger, who didn't want to be identified, said he wasn't sure if services were back to normal.

"We only happened to find out by chance because I knew I had to get home and looked it up on the website," he told BBC News NI.

"But even then half the ferries that would have run before didn't look to be running.

The man said disembarking the ferry was much quicker than usual due to the lack of passengers.

A harbour worker said only one foot passenger came off an earlier ferry from Cairnryan, which she said was largely carrying freight.

The RMT union met on Monday to discuss what action to take, having said it would attempt to blockade ports including Cairnryan in protest when the ferry operator started running what the union described as its "ships of shame".

Regional organiser Gordon Martin told BBC Scotland's Lunchtime Live programme that blockades would happen "sooner rather than later" at an "optimum time when we think it will have the most impact on the capitalist bandits at P&O".

"We are not out to disrupt the travelling public but unfortunately we have no option in this case," he said. "If P&O get away with this, who is next? It is a bonfire of workers' rights."

Mr Martin said the union would aim to cause "maximum disruption" to P&O including targeting fuel and food providers to the company.

He also urged travellers to boycott the operator and use alternative services in response to the way in which P&O had sacked staff with no notice via video call.

"I think the jobs are gone now, with people signing settlement agreements," Mr Martin added. "They were bullied and blackmailed out of their employment by P&O.

"What we need to do now is ensure legislation is changed at Westminster to ensure this doesn't happen again."

Almost 200 people joined a protest at Cairnryan last month after P&O's decision to sack 800 workers

The European Causeway was initially detained in Larne with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) concerned about "failures on crew familiarisation, vessel documentation and crew training".

'Appalling behaviour'

Stena Line have put on extra ferries from Cairnryan to Belfast to compensate for the postponement of P&O services.

The operator increased its daily sailings on the route from 12 to 18 and said its staff had been working hard to meet demand.

The Scottish government condemned the "serious disruption" P&O's actions had caused to the supply chain between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

A spokesman said: "The employment practices P&O have needlessly pursued have no place in a modern working practices.

"The Scottish government has been absolutely clear that we will stand by the workers who have been let down in the most appalling manner imaginable by P&O."

He added ministers were seeking urgent meetings with the UK government to discuss the matter.

A spokesman for the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: "The Insolvency Service has confirmed it has commenced formal criminal and civil investigations into the circumstances surrounding the recent appalling behaviour of P&O Ferries, following the Business Secretary asking they undertake a thorough review.

"We will not provide further comment while investigations are ongoing."

P&O has been approached for comment.