Angry workers demonstrating at Portsmouth Ferry Port

Their protest at Portsmouth Ferry Port on Wednesday, follows the company's announcement last year that it was shutting four of its 13 routes.

The Le Havre route ends on 30 September but P&O will continue to operate its Bilbao service.

P&O said it was still in a consultation process with staff who are affected.

This is a workforce who don't want redundancy they want jobs, they want a weekly wage coming in Steve Todd, from the RMT union

Steve Todd, from the RMT union, who was with the protesters at the Ferry Port, said: "We wanted P&O to review this and have a look at it again and see if there was a viable option to keep it open.

Steve Todd, from the RMT union wants P&O to review its decision

"P&O have sent out quite a clear signal to the industry that they are not interested in shipping anymore.

"Let's hope that another operator comes along.

"This is a workforce who don't want redundancy they want jobs, they want a weekly wage coming in."

P&O staff facing redundancy believe their jobs could be saved.

In January the company closed its route from Portsmouth to Cherbourg.