Ireland’s second busiest lorry freight port recorded a sixfold increase in freight on direct ferry routes with Europe this week. Freight traffic on the Irish Sea Route to Britain has halved.
The second busiest port – in Co Wexford – reported an almost 500 per cent increase in freight units on ferries to and from France and Spain in the first six sailing days of January compared with the same period last year.
There was a 50 per cent decline on freight volumes between Rosslare and Fishguard in Wales. Businesses and transport companies avoided the new post-Brexit customs controls at the EU-UK border that have caused delays.
1,148 freight units were carried on 18 direct sailings between Rosslare and Dunkirk and Cherbourg in France to Bilbao in Spain between January 2nd and 7th compared with 197 units on three services last year.
Some freight ferries have been completely full, as traders avoid Britain to get to and from Europe.