P&O blame foot-and-mouth for drop in passenger numbers

Shipping group P&O detailed the impact of the foot-and-mouth crisis on passenger numbers today as it warned of more tough times ahead.

During the three months to September 30, P&O saw a fall in passenger numbers as the epidemic deterred European tourists from coming to the UK.

P&O said the number of continental bookings for the quarter was ‘‘considerably below’’ last year’s level on its Stena Line ships.

The line covers the Dover to Calais and Dover to Zeebrugge routes and carried 3.5 million passengers during the three months.

During the third quarter last year, it carried 3.7 million people.

P&O Ferries also covers routes across the North Sea, Irish Sea, Western Channel and Scottish Isles.

Excluding Stena, the arm saw a 2% spark in passenger numbers to just over 1.5 million during the quarter, mainly due to ‘‘strong volume growth’’ at its Portsmouth terminal.

Routes across the North Sea, however, continued to be hit by foot-and-mouth.

It was a better story at P&O’s ports arm, which saw a 17% jump in throughput at its locations around the world.

But P&O said the slowing global economy, particularly in the US, was also beginning to hit home.

It said: ‘‘The seasonal growth in volume expected for the second half of the year is less pronounced than in previous years.’’

And P&O warned that this slower rate of growth would continue next year although it said the events of September 11 would have ‘‘a limited impact’’ on the business.

Some of the effects, however, include the closure by city authorities of its New York Passenger Ship Terminal on the west side of Manhattan.

P&O said today the port was ‘‘unlikely to be able to recommence operations for up to six months’’.

Its logistics division had a ‘‘good’’ third quarter, it added, and the attacks only affected its Boston facility, where some deliveries were delayed for a number of days.

Shares in the group slipped 2% or 4p at 203p.