The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) explained that this vessel, the 'Spirit of Britain', was not allowed to sail due to several safety issues identified during an inspection.
"The Spirit of Britain was detained because investigators identified a number of deficiencies which constituted grounds for detention," the MCA said without further details.
"We have advised P&O to invite us back once they have resolved the issues. We don't know when that will be yet," she added.
P&O Ferries suspended services on its route between Dover and the port of Calais (northern France) after laying off nearly 800 sailors on March 17.
The latter were replaced by outsourced workers, mostly foreigners, and paid well below the minimum wage, provoking the anger of the British authorities.
The company said crossings would remain suspended until Good Friday (April 15) at the earliest, but the restart could be delayed by the MCA's decision.
Another ship out of the five used to make the Dover-Calais connection, the "Pride of Kent", remains immobilized.
The suspension of these crossings by P&O Ferries has contributed to the formation in recent days of long lines of trucks approaching Dover, the main cross-Channel port on the English side.
Traffic there is already complicated by the new post-Brexit procedures.
Asked by AFP, P&O confirmed that "the Spirit of Britain will remain moored in its current port, after MCA inspections".
The company pointed out that in recent days the MCA had deemed two other vessels, the 'European Causeway' and the 'Pride of Hull' safe to navigate, adding: 'We continue to work with all relevant authorities to release all our vessels in service".
"We take the safety of our passengers and crew very seriously and hope that all of our ships will welcome tourist passengers and cargo customers again once all mandatory safety tests have been passed," the statement said. business.
© 2022 AFP