Dubai-owned P&O Ferries has unveiled its compensation package for sacked crew members as unions accused the company of blackmail.

The UK ropax operator, owned by ports giant DP World, said its payout of £36.5m ($48.4m) to nearly 800 redundant seafarers is “believed to be the largest compensation package in the British marine sector”.

P&O laid off all its crews with no notice on Thursday so it could bring in cheaper agency workers.