P&O Maritime has lost a UK government ship management contract it had held for the past 10 years.

AW Ship Management (AWSM) will take over management of the research vessel Cefas Endeavour (built 2003) effective 1 April 2020.

The contract with the UK’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) is for an initial five years, with optional extensions through to 2033.