The bosses of Carnival UK and ferry companies P&O and Stena Line are among those to have penned a letter to the media warning new rules could lead to “intolerable” crew costs in the UK.
The letter in today’s Daily Telegraph warns that many major shipping companies will have little choice but to re-register their ships away from Britain due to obscure regulations arising from the Equality Act.
Among the eight signatories are Carnival UK chief executive David Dingle, P&O Ferries fleet director John Garber and Stena Line director Robert Akerland.
The letter says: “These companies currently pay seafarers resident abroad at levels that are related to those of highly skilled professionals in their home countries.
“What is proposed would compel British-flag operators to pay British rates to these seafarers – even though they may never set foot on British soil.
“The costs will put our British operations under intolerable pressure not felt by competitors abroad.”
The industry leaders said they were writing “in dismay” as the Government appears to be on the verge of “encouraging shipping companies to take their business elsewhere”.
Prime Minister David Cameron is urged to intervene “to help Britain trade its way back into prosperity and avoid the collapse of a success story”.