Company behind P&O Ferries sackings announces first-half profit of £600m

DP World, the global port operator which was slammed for its decision to sack 800 P&O Ferries workers earlier this year, announced record first-half profits.

The logistics firm registered first-half profit of $721m (£598m).

The Dubai operator came to UK prominence when P&O Ferries, which it owns, dismissed 800 workers in March – with the firm set to replace them with agency workers.

P&O Ferries’ boss Peter Hebblethwaite admitted that his firm’s actions were illegal, but said the decision was “saving the business.”

DP World management later credited Hebblethwaite with an “amazing job” though politicians described the sackings as an act of “corporate thuggery.”

The company said profit climbed 51.8 per cent on the year before despite only 2.3 per cent year on year growth in the number of shipping containers it handles, with the bottom line benefiting from significantly higher global shipping costs.

This is a developing story and will be updated