Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Irish freight volumes to EU ports doubled in first month of Brexit

Published 01/02/2021, 05:05
Updated 01/02/2021, 08:10
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Hauliers steer clear of UK land bridge as Brexit reshapes Ireland-EU supply chains

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Hauliers steer clear of UK land bridge as Brexit reshapes Ireland-EU supply chains

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish freight volumes to and from European Union ports doubled in January, the government said on Monday, as many traders shunned the once-speedier route to the continent through Britain due to Brexit red tape and delays.

For decades, the so-called UK landbridge offered exporters the swiftest route between Ireland and mainland Europe. The UK's exit from the EU at the end of 2020 has led to a three-fold rise in direct routes in the last 12 months, mainly to French ports.

Volumes were down 50% on routes between Ireland and Britain last month, the government said. That includes the large amount of direct goods trade between the neighbouring countries.

The large drop was due to a number of factors including pre-Brexit stockpiling, COVID-19 restrictions and the new Brexit checks, the government said, adding that volumes were gradually increasing and up 11% week-on-week in the final week of January.

"While many are successfully continuing to trade with Britain, some businesses, large and small, are having difficulty, in some cases severe difficulty, adapting to the new system of controls," the government said.

Most of the new direct routes to the continent were launched to and from the southeastern Irish port of Rosslare and in a separate statement, it said its European freight traffic rose 446% year-on-year in January.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Hauliers steer clear of UK land bridge as Brexit reshapes Ireland-EU supply chains

Similar to the wider drop, Rosslare's UK traffic was down 49% last month.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.