Uncertainty for ports over post-Brexit trade

In a release put out before the announcement of the Cabinet agreement, Richard Ballantyne said: “Hauliers and freight operators using the UK’s network of roll on/roll off (ro/ro) ports such as Dover, Holyhead, Immingham and Portsmouth will still not be sure what the post-Brexit border processes will look like.”

He also noted that the BPA was hopeful of the withdrawal deal containing some form of “lasting solution” that would eliminate the need to bring in new customs and border checks for trade between the EU and the UK.

Challenge for ro/ro ports

In the release, the BPA argued that “notwithstanding the impact on the economy, the prospect of leaving the EU could be relatively non-eventful for ports handling bulk loads or containers, where exiting processes and systems should be easier to adapt”.

Yet, it added that what could be a lot more challenging was accommodating new customs and regulatory controls at EU and UK ro/ro ports.

It noted that every day, such ports collectively handle tens of thousands of driver-accompanied and unaccompanied heavy goods vehicles and trailers travelling between the UK and the EU — something that constitutes over 50% of UK trade with Europe and has been estimated to make up 40% of UK total maritime trade’s value.

The possibility of “new time-consuming and costly processes” for freight operators using this industry exists, and it is still “a daunting prospect”, it added.

Mr Ballantyne also said in the release that the BPA was keen on establishing what the withdrawal deal will mean as regards the regulatory environment that ports run under.

“Depending upon what a final deal might look like, there could be opportunities for the [UK] Government to review certain rules stemming from the EU, such as the Ports Services Regulation, and create a planning and consenting regime which is more conducive to port development, activities and trade,” he commented.

The UK’s Members of Parliament await voting on a Brexit withdrawal agreement.