[ad_1]
A report has found that there is enough capacity on existing ferry services between Ireland and mainland Europe to accommodate any road transport traffic that is displaced from the UK land bridge as a result of Brexit.
The Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) report found that currently around 150,000 trucks a year use the land bridge to transport goods between Ireland and mainland Europe.
It also found that even without state intervention, the shipping industry is resilient, responsive, and capable of adapting to and meeting market demand.
The Department of Transportation also said that it and IMDO have undertaken intensive engagement with transportation operators in the last week.
He said they have been assured that they have the means, the capacity and the will to respond to changes in the demand for direct services to the continent.
The department said this includes the ability to increase services, redeploy ships within networks as demand requires, and introduce additional tonnage capacity if necessary.
State Minister Hildegarde Naughton also confirmed that from January there will be additional daily ferry services from Dublin and Rosslare to Europe.
“IMDO’s analysis shows that there is sufficient maritime capacity available to service direct routes to the continent and, more importantly, that there is a strong will from the shipping industry to facilitate this new demand,” said the Minister of Transport, Eamon Ryan.
90% of Ireland’s international trade takes place through seaports, and the UK land bridge plays a very important role in the movement of Irish exports and imports to and from Europe.
Due to this importance, the Minister of Transport asked IMDO to assess the capacity of the maritime sector to cope with possible disruptions arising from Brexit and Covid-19.
Road hauliers and exporters have raised concerns about the impact on this move if there is congestion in UK ports from 1 January, following the end of the Brexit transition period.
Regardless of whether there is a trade agreement in place or not, there will be additional customs checks and other checks on goods entering and leaving the UK.
“There is no doubt that Brexit will disrupt operations on the UK land bridge and this report reinforces the need to prepare well in advance to avoid unnecessary delays,” Ryan said.
“I would encourage everyone working in the shipping and logistics industry to ACT now and heed IMDO’s advice.”
[ad_2]