P&O says it really does know where Hull is

The confusing map was printed in an advert for the company in an AA magazine and incorrectly showed Hull on the River Tyne instead of Newcastle.

But a spokesman for P&O - who carry one million passengers to Rotterdam and Zeebrugge each year from Hull - said the company really did know where the port is.

"I wouldn't try to defend the fact that Hull has shifted further north on the map but I can reassure people that we do know where the city is.

No complaints

"The advert used a stylised map which is not supposed to be completely accurate but I do accept that Hull shouldn't be where it is.

"All I can say is that our ship captains use the correct nautical maps and not stylised versions like this one."

The spokesman said the company had not received any complaints about the mistake and Newcastle was not included on the map as P&O do not run ferry services from the city.

Hull resident Paul Fisher, 27, said: "It seems like management have got their bearings wrong again."

A spokesman for the AA which published the offending map in the spring edition of its magazine said the mistake was down to P&O as it had submitted the artwork.