According to The Telegraph, the jobs of almost 4,000 at P&O Ferries are under threat as the 180-year-old firm teeters on the brink of collapse.

The ferry company's Dubai owner is scrambling to agree a £250m rescue deal that will include cuts to staff's wages and pensions alongside a UK Government bailout.

DP World is understood to be preparing to inject tens of millions of pounds to keep the business afloat – but P&O is struggling to convince ministers to agree to put in £150m from taxpayers.

English Channel (and Irish Sea) operator P&O is struggling after passenger numbers collapsed when Britain and swathes of continental Europe went into lockdown last month.

For further reading click here and from a previous related report on measures to concentrate on freight. 

Afloat adds that P&O's operation on the Irish Sea is the Dublin-Liverpool route in addition across the North Channel with the Larne-Cairnryan service.