PD Ports, the group controlling Tees and Hartlepool ports, has delayed plans to move from the Alternative Investment Market (Aim) to the main list on the London Stock Exchange. However, a spokeswoman for the company said the transfer had been delayed so that the details of the listing could be finalised. The spokeswoman said the group was still hoping to transfer to the main exchange before Christmas. PD Ports Group floated on Aim in July after being bought by PD Ports plc, a group set up to make the purchase with the backing of stockbroker Collins Stewart. Teesport overtook London to become the second largest freight-handling port in Britain two months ago.

price rise: Water utility group Kelda welcomed a review that will see it raise prices by 18 per cent in the next five years as it posted an 8.2 per cent rise in profits. It described the announcement by industry regulator Ofwat that its Yorkshire Water business would be able to raise bills to about £288 by 2009/10 as reasonable and acceptable. Yorkshire Water continued to perform well in the first half, offsetting the negative impact of the weak dollar on US water division Aquarion, and helping raise underlying profits to £107.9m.

action call: The Government was under pressure yesterday to intervene to save hundreds of ferry workers' jobs following a decision to refer to the Competition Commission the proposed transfer of ferries between two rival companies. The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union described the decision by the Office of Fair Trading as a huge blow to the employees' prospects and urged the Government to take action. P&O had wanted to sub-charter ferries on its Portsmouth to Le Havre route to Brittany Ferries. The move would have saved 350 jobs, but it has now been put on hold.

language barrier: A safety leaflet translated into 19 languages has been published following concern that migrant workers were being put at risk by material only printed in English. The Trades Union Congress warned that safety messages were no help to those with a limited grasp of English.