The final P&O ship being held in Kent has been given the all clear to sail.

The Pride of Canterbury has passed its safety inspection and will be allowed to resume sailing from Dover.

Inspectors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) boarded the vessel yesterday to examine if it had improved safety measures after it was held along with nine other ships across the UK in March.

All of the ships were forced to sit in their respective ports from March 17, when the firm sacked nearly 800 seafarers with no prior warning.

The shock move sparked outrage, with protests taking place across the country, including in Dover, and with calls made to boycott P&O.

The firm said the move was necessary to keep the business afloat, and hired cheaper agency workers to run its ships.

But inspections were needed on the vessels before they could start moving again.

The Pride of Kent was eventually allowed to set sail again after a fourth inspection, having failed three previously.

Seven other vessels, including the Dover-based Pride of Britain, have also been cleared to resume journeys.

In that time, however, seven of the new agency staff workers were fired for drinking on the job.

This afternoon, an MCA spokesperson said: “The inspection on board the Pride of Canterbury has been completed and the vessel can commence operations when P&O Ferries are ready.

“There are no further inspections of P&O Ferries at the moment but we will reinspect when requested by the company."

One other P&O ferry is yet to have its full Port State Control inspection.