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Traders ‘abandon’ Holyhead port post-Brexit, says Irish gov agency report

12 Aug 2021 2 minute read
Picture by David Dixon (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Traders are abandoning the port of Holyhead post-Brexit, according to a report from an Irish government agency.

The Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) says that trade frictions caused by the UK’s departure from the European Union has “significantly altered” freight traffic between Ireland and Britain.

The agency, which provides support to maritime businesses in Ireland, adds that this has sparked a steep rise in volumes to and from Ireland and other European Union members.

The introduction of checks on a number of goods since the UK left the EU’s trading orbit on Dec 31 has cut imports from Britain by 35% in the first five months of 2021.

At the same time the number of shipping routes to mainland Europe more than doubled.

What is called roll-on/roll-off or RoRo traffic between Irish and British ports was 20% lower in the second quarter compared to the same pre- pandemic period in 2019. Volumes on Irish/EU routes were up 99% on 2019.

According to IMDO, the most significant factor behind the changes was traders abandoning the once-speedier British “land bridge” where hauliers would take a ferry between Dublin and Holyhead, drive across Britain before taking another one to mainland Europe.

The agency’s quarterly report found that many any are shunning the route over concerns about delays and disruption due to new customs controls.

It said: “It is clear in the first six months since Brexit, the configuration of Irish RoRo traffic has been significantly altered.”

Traffic between Irish and British ports has plummeted from 67% of all Irish Ro-Ro volumes compared to 84% two years ago. Direct routes to the EU have doubled their share to 33%.


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Cynan
Cynan
3 years ago

Well “Levelling up” certainly sucks!

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
3 years ago

When the idiots voted Leave the Irish government launched a project to create a new terminal and a new channel in Dublin then ordered two of the world’s biggest Ro-Ro’s as “Brexit busters”. The second began operations two years ago which explains the growth in direct trade to the EU.
It is worth noting that they designed, ordered, built and operated two giant ferries for over two years and the UK government who “Got Brexit Done” are still searching for a lorry park in Pembrokeshire having still not built a single Inland Customs Point.

anglion
anglion
3 years ago
Reply to  Kerry Davies

Look up EIB funding for making Southampton and Dover ports larger – all cut when brexit happened – also the UKs ports are two small for the large ships and they have to land in the EU and then be driven overland to north French ports as not all ports are open to the UK …

anglion
anglion
3 years ago
Reply to  Kerry Davies

i think i read they have to drive to BIRMINGHAM for customs clearance

Jacqui Hurst
Jacqui Hurst
3 years ago

If those lorries were just passing through to the European mainland then frankly I don’t want that air pollution or the overcrowded roads.

stephen mahoney
stephen mahoney
3 years ago
Reply to  Jacqui Hurst

Most of the through traffic from Ireland to the continent is overnight through Wales to avoid congestion and made the land bridge the more viable option before Brexit.

Far more congestion and pollution is caused by tens of thousands of tourists clogging the M4 and the A55 during daylight hours. There’s also the economic cost to The Welsh ports from a large reduction of handling and processing freight.

You’re also just shifting pollutants and switching source by direct sailing, these super ferries will puff out ridiculous levels of emission making unnecessarily protracted crossings.to the continent.

Brian
Brian
3 years ago
Reply to  Jacqui Hurst

Irish lorry drivers are picking up European foods, biscuits, confectionery etc on their return loads instead of usual and beloved British. Implications are not been thought out properly and lies believed.

Llewelyn
Llewelyn
3 years ago

Cleaner air for Gogledd cymru!!

Cynan
Cynan
3 years ago
Reply to  Llewelyn

Spoken like a true Brexiteer Tony. Shoots self in foot. Praises the pretty pattern the blood makes
(You know air moves around, right?)

Last edited 3 years ago by Cynan
John Davis
John Davis
3 years ago

Wales voted to leave the EU. The people insisted they knew what they were voting for. Anyone disagreeing was labelled a “remoaner” or even a traitor. You wanted it, you voted for it, you got it. Now pay the price. Surprise! – it’s not just other people who will suffer.

Shan Morgain
Shan Morgain
3 years ago
Reply to  John Davis

I saw the breakdown of the Brexit poll and it was largely English incomers who voted Leave. I do not want to stoke the tension about incomers. I’m one myself (but a staunch Remainer and hope to Rejoin when Wales is independent). But this is a difficult truth though a good reflection on native Welsh people.

Egon Krenz
Egon Krenz
3 years ago
Reply to  Shan Morgain

No such poll exists.

The areas with “settlers” voted remain. Ceredigion, Gwynedd

The areas with the least : Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent- had astronomically high leave percentages.

stephen mahoney
stephen mahoney
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

The Welsh in Ceredigion were solidly remain and have little in common with the principality bootlickers from Blaenau Gwent. The “settlers” in Mid, and north Wales tend to come over from the West Midlands and the North West and were solidly vote leave I guess. Just not enough of them to overturn the local vote in Gwynedd. Then again the “settlers” here in Monmouthshire tended to vote remain, they are more from Bristol and the South of England originally and could well have swung our vote to remain…Swings and roundabouts! Personally I suspect the the Sun/Star reading demography along the… Read more »

Gareth
Gareth
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

Professor Danny Dorling of Oxford Uni, disagrees with you, in his research the highest leave votes were in areas close to the border, Wrexham and Powys, containing the higher level of English incomers , 65 years or older. I post his research below the headline is “English people in Wales tilted it towards Brexit “. If you have counter evidence I will read it if you post it.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/sep/22/english-people-wales-brexit-research

Egon Krenz
Egon Krenz
3 years ago
Reply to  Gareth

That is just an article.

Where are the facts?

This article is trotted out time and again. That is all anyone can drag up.

Cross border settlement?

Welsh bom in English Hospitals you mean?

Gareth
Gareth
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

Here is a part of Prof Danny Dorling’s research, showing figure and his work and a link to his site. Please can you post links to your claims, I did ask you in my previous post for evidence for you’re claim, but so far nothing.

http://www.dannydorling.org/?p=6954

Egon Krenz
Egon Krenz
3 years ago
Reply to  Gareth

Wales is referred to twice in the whole of that.

Again. No figures.

Published on his own website by a discredited academic.

Gareth
Gareth
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

I posted the link to his work, and figures were show or did you miss them, if you cant be bothered to look for yourself what can I do, again for the 3rd time where are the facts to back up what you are claiming. You are just posting you’re opinion, no facts and refusing to look past the first page of evidence to contradict your personal view. What you are doing is known as “Trolling”.
Post some evidence to prove you’re point. Put up or shut up.

Egon Krenz
Egon Krenz
3 years ago
Reply to  Gareth

The evidence to prove my point is that there is nothing in that research that proves yours.

Show me the exact statistics and their validation that prove your point. From that research.

Sharing a link you haven’t even read doesn’t count.

These are the facts that count :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Results_of_the_2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum#Wales

Gareth
Gareth
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

Wikipedia, anybody can access the page to edit it at any time, you post this as evidence, yet dismiss an Oxford professor’s work as ” discredited “.

Gareth
Gareth
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

Wikipedia, anyone at any time can edit that page, nothing proven there.

Cynan
Cynan
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

The breakdown of the polls does exist and areas of high cross border settlement WERE more likely to vote Brexit. Along with areas of poor employment and education.
So please stop posting your own inventions as fact

Egon Krenz
Egon Krenz
3 years ago
Reply to  Cynan

Ceredigion and Gwynedd. Throw in Vale of Glamorgan – all voted remain.

You carry on blaming in English retirees in Blackwood.

Cynan
Cynan
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

It’s not me doing it. It’s statisticians and political analysts cleverer than both you and I (but especially you)

Egon Krenz
Egon Krenz
3 years ago
Reply to  Cynan

It one discredited work of conjecture that never saw light of day used by Welsh nationalists who can’t face the truth.

Cynan
Cynan
3 years ago
Reply to  John Davis

People in Wales voted for Brexit. 20% of our population identify themselves as English.

Egon Krenz
Egon Krenz
3 years ago
Reply to  Cynan

And you have no knowledge of how they voted.

Is there nothing you don’t blame everyone else for?

j humphrys
j humphrys
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

For a Brexiteer, that is stunningly rich!

Cynan
Cynan
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

See my previous reponse to your hail mary haymaker (a swing and a miss)

Egon Krenz
Egon Krenz
3 years ago
Reply to  Cynan

20% of Welsh people were born in England.

Ask Liz Saville Roberts how English she feels.

Robert Evans
Robert Evans
3 years ago
Reply to  John Davis

actually check out oxford university research
wales did not vote for brexit
English settlers modern and historic did

Shan Morgain
Shan Morgain
3 years ago

Fishguard is far worse affected. Last year I read that it’s likly to close and all efforts focused on keeping Holyhead going. Oh dear. Still it’s now going to be increasingly hard for Tory predators to hide their Brexit crime behind Covid. The reckoning approaches.

Mr Williams
Mr Williams
3 years ago

Nobody can say we weren’t warned ……

Gareth
Gareth
3 years ago

I did see people from Holyhead intreviewed on tv and most would still vote leave, and some were even waiting for the upturn in the local economy that will happen, in their opinion, because we are now out of the EU the Irish will flock to Holyhead to cash in on duty free, and this will more than make up for leaving the EU. I think some are in for a long wait.

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
3 years ago

I’ve been arguing and fighting against Brexit since 2016 and it’s all fallen on deaf ears – the deluded are still deluded. How Wales voted is done now, nothing will change what happened. We must now move on from the past and strive to make Wales independent that is the only way we will have a chance of rejoining. Brexit is another example of how bad being in the UK is, another reason why we need to be independent.

j humphrys
j humphrys
3 years ago
Reply to  Steve Duggan

Absolutely. Independence is now key. One cannot say it enough.

Egon Krenz
Egon Krenz
3 years ago
Reply to  Steve Duggan

“Wales independent that is the only way we will have a chance of rejoining.”

Why don’t you put your efforts into being part of a, globally successful Britain that your countrymen deserve.

We will all die before a Welsh independence referendum.

Make the best of now like a good citizen.

Cynan
Cynan
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

I’ve just found some toys that look like they’ve been thrown out of a pram. I take it they are yours?

I’ve also found a dummy which looks like it has been spit out. There seems to be bile on it. Yours too I presume?

Barry Pandy
Barry Pandy
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

When you say “Make the best of now like a good citizen” what you really mean is “just shut up and obey your English overlord masters because we are the master race and we are your betters, you have no right to your independence because you are inferior”. The utter contempt that the English have for the Welsh (and everyone else in the world that they have ever ruled for that matter) is unbelievable. English people always get upset whenever anyone ever suggests independence. Perhaps this is because you are all massively insecure because you know, deep down, what a… Read more »

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
3 years ago
Reply to  Egon Krenz

No point in peddling this rubbish to me mate, I’ve heard it all before and totally shown it to be wrong and just some deluded fantasy. Please read what I’m about to write carefully – Wales will gain independence and we will be successful as a country, no amount of ‘global Britain’ clap-trap will stop us.

Quornby
Quornby
3 years ago

Well well well and how many port related jobs will go because a bunch of naive plonkers believed Johnson and voted leave.

Robert Evans
Robert Evans
3 years ago
Reply to  Quornby

or check out combined plaid and labour vote in ynys mon compared to the vote for our english tory mp. time for labour to stop posturing.
and yes independence is the key

Tony seddon
Tony seddon
3 years ago

I suppose that one day someone will come up with a benefit of leaving the EU, but I won’t hold my breath

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