P&O's Pride of Canterbury cleared to sail following MCA inspection

The Pride of Canterbury was the last of ten ships to be checked at the request of the ferry company. Credit: ITV Meridian

P&O Ferries' ship, the Pride of Canterbury, has successfully passed an inspection by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

The company had asked officials to come aboard earlier this week. It is the 9th ferry operated by P&O to be cleared to sail.

The vessel has been sat in Dover following the sacking of 800 P&O workers, who were then replaced by agency crew.

P&O, at the time, said it lost £100million year on year, which forced it to make 'swift and significant changes now'.

Safety fears were raised after P&O Ferries replaced nearly 800 seafarers with cheaper agency staff on March 17.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said on Thursday, May 26: "The inspection on board the Pride of Canterbury has been completed and the vessel can commence operations when P&O Ferries are ready."

"There are no further inspections of P&O Ferries at the moment but we will reinspect when requested by P&O Ferries."

Other ferries cleared to sail after inspections include the Pride of Hull, Norbay, Pride of Kent, Spirit of Britain, Norbank, European Causeway and European Highlander.

The Pride of Kent has had four inspections, three of which were reinspections.   

The Pride of Kent was detained for the first time on March 28 and failed an inspection by the MCA for a second time on April 13 and a third time on May 3.

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