Peter Hebblethwaite, the former chief executive of P&O Ferries once labelled "Britain's most hated boss", received a pay package worth £622,000 in his final full year at the helm, newly published accounts reveal.
Pay Slips But Remains Above £600k
According to accounts for P&O Ferries Division Holdings filed at Companies House, Hebblethwaite's total remuneration for 2024 was £622,000. This represents a decrease from the £683,000 he was paid the previous year in 2023. The company confirmed his departure last year, with former DFDS executive Kasper Moos appointed as his successor in the autumn of 2024.
A spokesperson for P&O Ferries declined to comment specifically on the executive's pay. Instead, they pointed to the company's 2024 results, stating: "Our transformation is delivering. Despite challenges in the freight market and the long-term impact of Brexit on the sector, our financial position has continued to improve." The statement also highlighted rising customer satisfaction and reduced carbon emissions from new hybrid vessels.
The Legacy of a National Scandal
Hebblethwaite's tenure was permanently defined by the events of March 2022, when P&O Ferries, a subsidiary of Dubai-based ports giant DP World, summarily sacked 800 seafarers. The staff were replaced with cheaper agency workers, with some learning of their dismissal via a pre-recorded video message.
The move sparked widespread public and political fury, propelling Hebblethwaite into infamy. He later defended the decision to a parliamentary select committee, arguing the drastic cost-cutting was necessary to prevent the business from collapse. The scandal prompted the government to strengthen maritime employment laws to offer workers greater protection.
Ongoing Repercussions and Financial Picture
The fallout from the scandal continued to ripple through 2024. Then Transport Secretary Louise Haigh described the mass sackings as a "national scandal which can never be allowed to happen again." Her subsequent characterisation of P&O Ferries as a "rogue" employer and suggestion of a consumer boycott caused a significant row.
This controversy led parent company DP World to temporarily withdraw from a major government investment summit and pause a planned £1 billion investment announcement. The firm only relented after Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly distanced the government from Haigh's remarks.
Financially, P&O Ferries has been supported by hundreds of millions in loans from its sole shareholder, DP World, particularly during the pandemic. The most recent accounts show a slight escalation in losses for 2024. The company remains a key operator, carrying 4.5 million passengers annually on routes like Dover-Calais and running a major freight service, including between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
