(Bloomberg) -- A second ship operated by P&O Ferries was detained by U.K. authorities amid a growing campaign to pressure the company into reversing the sudden firing of 800 workers.
The Pride of Kent, which ferries cars and trucks between Dover, England, and Calais, France, was held by the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency, U.K. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Twitter late Monday.
The enforcement action follows the detention of the European Causeway, another P&O vessel, in Larne, Northern Ireland, over the weekend, for failures tied to crew training and documentation.
“Safety will not be compromised & further checks will continue,” Shapps said in the tweet.
Dormant Routes
The actions involving P&O ships call into question when the company will be able to resume services on key routes.
The company said on Twitter that both Dover-Calais and Scotland-Larne sailings “remain canceled.” While vehicles are able to use DFDS A/S ferries at Dover, P&O said it is no longer possible for it to arrange travel via an alternative operator on the Northern Ireland route.
Services between Liverpool and Dublin are expected to depart on time, it said.
Shapps is leading the government's push to pressure P&O into reinstating the workers, vowing to void the savings with a new law that forces ferry operators to pay the minimum U.K. wage.
He's also called on Chief Executive Officer Peter Hebblethwaite to resign after the P&O head acknowledged he consciously violated U.K. laws mandating a consultation period with unions before the firings.
U.K. Minister Vows to Reverse P&O Ferry Firings With New Law
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