A maritime union is once again calling for action against P&O Ferries as the government’s Seafarers Wages Bill began its journey through Parliament.

The government drew up the legislation after nearly 800 people were sacked suddenly by the ferry firm in March - some via a Zoom call - and replaced by lower paid agency workers.

The move prompted protests and calls to boycott P&O, with the company's CEO Peter Hebblethwaite later acknowledging the firm broke employment law by not consulting trade unions before sacking the workers.

P&O's ships were grounded for weeks, and could only move again once the Maritime and Coastguard Agency carried out safety inspections on them.

Later, the Insolvency Service announced it would not be launching criminal proceedings against P&O Ferries but is continuing to investigate it for for civil offences.

In response to the mass firings, the government drew up the Seafarers Wages Bill, which is designed to grant protection to seafarers working in UK waters.

It is currently being debated in the House of Lords, before going to the House of Commons in the coming weeks.

But chiefs at the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union want the bill to include more protections, and promote more communication with unions.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The lack of any punishment to date for P&O Ferries’ illegal attack on maritime jobs and skills has not gone unnoticed particularly in ports such as Dover and Hull affected by this unchecked corporate aggression designed in Dubai.

“The Seafarers Wages Bill is the government’s main response to P&O Ferries but, typically it avoids using collective agreements between employers and unions to regulate crew wages on international routes.

“We urge Parliamentarians in both Houses to support amendments that broaden the scope of the Bill so that it promotes trade union agreed pay and conditions, providing permanent employment, safe roster patterns and above minimum protections for as many seafarers as possible.

“That is the sort of growth required to get the UK as a seafaring nation out of the maritime abyss our seafarers face after 12 years of Tory governments."

The Department of Transport has been approached for a comment.