Dublin prepares for Brexit

Speaking during a debate about Brexit at the British Ports Association annual conference, Eamonn O’Reilly, chief executive of Dublin Port Company, said: “The worst-case scenario I think is now the most probable scenario. I think there will be Customs controls in place and I think that is something we have to adapt to. We just can’t wait, because politicians don’t tend to get things done as quickly as we would like.”

Dublin handles 850,000 ro-ro units a year to and from UK mainland ports. “We are going to build yards and new road layouts and places for men with little peaked caps to stand, because there is no other way,” he said. “It is only 18 months; anyone who has ever built any port infrastructure knows you won’t get very much done in that time. But we have to build the sheds and work out how we will deal with the big queues as a result.”

Customs have indicated that there may be a 5% rate of inspection, he added. “If there is anything much more profound than that, we will give will give over part of our scarce land to hold the queues that will be there. We are quite resigned to that.”

Mr O’Reilly, who is chairman of the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO), said that Dublin’s concerns are shared by ports such as Zeebrugge, Calais and Dunkirk. “Not only there is uncertainty, there is nothing we can be saying or doing.”

Meanwhile, he noted, shipping lines are investing in new tonnage to link Dublin directly to Europe. “And we have had a lot of inquiries from Europe.”