The 169-year independent history of P&O drew near to a close yesterday in a sparse­ly filled hall in north London as retail investors expressed concern about the future of concessionary ferry fares and bemoaned the passage of P&O into foreign hands.

Nevertheless shareholders voted overwhelmingly to sell the British container ports and ferries operator to Dubai's DP World for 520p a share, valuing it at £3.92bn, at an extraordinary meeting at the Wembley Exhibition and Conference Centre.