The agency said the ship, the European Causeway, was seized in the port of Larne. Transport Secretary Grand Saps said the ship was detained because it was “unsuitable for sailing”. Shapps wrote on Twitter: “Following my instructions to inspect all P&O vessels before re-launching, the MCA banned one vessel because it was unsuitable for sailing. “I will not jeopardize the safety of these boats and P&O will not be able to rush an infinite crew through training.” The MCA said: “The ship will remain in custody until all of these issues are resolved by P&O Ferries. Only then will it be re-checked. “ The detention of the ships is based on concerns for their safety and the prevention of sailing. Karl Turner, a Labor MP for Hull East, wrote on Twitter: “It is getting worse for P&O Ferries, news that the European Causeway on the Cairnryan-Larne route has failed to inspect the port. “The boat is being arrested and detained by the Shipping and Coast Guard in Larne.” Earlier this week, an MCA inspected a P&O ferry docked at Hull to ensure that service personnel who came to replace 800 laid-off workers could operate it safely. Downing Street has called on P&O Ferries’ chief executive to resign over the layoffs and pledged to push through legislation next week to force the company to reverse the move and pay its crew the minimum wage. Peter Hebblethwaite admitted to lawmakers on Thursday that his company had broken the law by laying off 800 workers without consultation. The RMT transport union has said it welcomes the detention of the European Causeway and called on the government to “take over the entire fleet” of P&O vessels. Secretary-General Mick Leeds said: “The occupation of the European Corridor by the MCA tonight shows that the P&O gangster capitalist uniform is not appropriate and is not suitable to operate a secure post-slaughter service. “This mob must be disbanded, its ships seized and its crews fired restored to safely reopen these critical ferry services.” Alliance MLA for East Antrim Stewart Dickson hailed the ferry seizure as a security measure. “It’s not like the crew of an airplane getting off the easyJet and going to the next one where the controls are exactly the same, and everything is in the same place,” he told PA. “No two ships are the same and you can not just fly a crew and expect them to be able to sail on one ship. Each inspection will be in a different place, but especially all those health and safety exercises that must be passed, from lifeboat stations to the operation of each piece of equipment. It seemed to me that it would be very difficult for the staff to be able to take on this role in such a short time. “I am just happy to have them [impounded the ship]. “This is not revenge against P&O, it’s about passenger safety and crew safety as well.”
