P&O Ferries, which caused outrage on 17 March by making all its UK crew redundant without notice, hopes to resume services on the key Dover-Calais route next week. Its vessels are expected to be crewed by new agency labour.

A spokesperson for the ferry firm said: “From this weekend, P&O Ferries are getting ready to resume services across a number of vital routes.

“P&O has been working closely with regulators to ensure our ships are safe to sail. P&O is looking forward to welcoming back vital services.

“We expect to have two of our vessels ready to sail on the Dover-Calais route by next week, subject to regulatory sign-off, namely both the Pride of Kent and Spirit of Britain between Dover-Calais.”

Both ships are tied up at Dover cruise terminal, along with a third, Spirit of France.

P&O is also expecting to be able to operate European Causeway between Larne in Northern Ireland and Cairnryan in southwest Scotland; and Pride of Hull, which sails between Hull and Rotterdam.

The spokesperson said: “For those customers still affected by wider disruption, we are providing refunds to all passengers booked to travel with us to whom we have not been able to provide alternative services.

“Customers can contact our customer service team by email or phone for a refund. Anyone who has had their trip disrupted with P&O will also receive a free trip to be used on a future journey with us, that can be taken later in the year.”

This weekend is expected to see a crunch on the Dover-Calais link, which is by far the busiest ferry route between the UK and Continental Europe.

At present DFDS is carrying all P&O Ferries customers on its ships. But DFDS has warned it will have no space available for P&O Ferries passengers on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, 8-10 April.

It is telling travellers booked with P&O: “Please do not proceed to port without a confirmed reservation, contact P&O Ferries for alternative travel arrangements.”

But P&O is simply telling people to book a Channel crossing before heading for the port.

Last weekend – the start of the Easter getaway for many British families – roads in east Kent were gridlocked as traffic queued to access the port of Dover. The coming weekend is expected to be even busier.

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