P&O FERRIES STATEMENT ON COVID-19

Janette Bell, Chief Executive of P&O Ferries, said: “Our trucks, trains and ships are a vital part of Europe’s transport infrastructure, supporting the economies of the countries in which we operate and businesses across the world. We sail 27,000 times a year between Britain, Ireland and Europe, carrying 2.3m pieces of freight. That’s 44,230 pieces of freight a week. Or to put it another way an awful lot of fresh water, fruit and vegetables, medicines and other vital supplies.”


“Notwithstanding the current uncertainty, we are confident that our services will keep running. We’re doing everything we can to minimise the risks by intensifying the cleaning protocols on board our ships, switching from air conditioning to 100 per cent fresh air and working closely with Public Health England and maritime experts at the World Health Organisation (WHO) to follow best practice on COVID-19.”


“The support teams in our offices are working from home where possible and organising themselves into shift patterns so that no more than a third of employees are at their desks at any one time.”


“Moreover, ships are divided into teams, consisting of separate watches each with a day shift and a night shift, and any crew member who is symptomatic can be isolated. For more than 180 years, P&O’s ships have been designed to keep going in the face of sickness and adversity. Working hand in glove with national governments, our services will continue to play their part in supporting the societies in which we live.”


Contacts:


P&O Ferries - Dan Bridgett +44(0)1304 863308
New Century Media - Tony Lodge & Alexander Walker +44(0) 207 930 8033