P&O to close Rosslare-Cherbourg route in restructuring plan
A root-and-branch restructuring of shipping giant P&O will see the closure of the Rosslare-Cherbourg route, as well as Portsmouth-Cherbourg, Portsmouth-Caen and Portsmouth-Le Havre.
The company hopes the restructuring will be largely in place by the middle of next year. Some 1,200 jobs will be lost under the plan.
P&O chief executive Robert Woods said: “The object of all this is to turn this business round. It will not be painless as there are significant numbers of people involved.
“Initial consultation with staff shows the workforce is supportive of change and we believe there should not be industrial action. It would not be in anyone’s interest.”
He went on: “We hope there will be a good response from volunteers for redundancy but there will have to be compulsory job losses.”
P&O employs 3,600 sea-going staff and 2,500 shore-based workers.
