A Brexit story: On the frontline at Holyhead port

In Wales - the port of Holyhead has always been on the Brexit frontline.

It is the direct link between North Wales and what would be the new EU border.

The claims about what would happen at the port after Brexit vary from absolute chaos and lorries queuing on the A55 to those who say it will be business as usual.

To get to the truth during an increasingly fraught and divisive period Business Live visited the port last week.

There, we were given a tour of the ��Ƶ’s second busiest ro-ro(roll-on-roll-off) port by services director Alan Williams before a sit down chat with Stena Line South Irish Sea route director Ian Davies.

Stena is both the port authority at Holyhead as well as operating - alongside Irish Ferries - on the route to Dublin.

While not complacent Mr Davies exudes the confidence of a man who knows that ahead of D-day (whenever that may be) the port has done everything it can to ensure it’s ready.

This doesn’t mean he believes everything will be smooth sailing - with many elements outside of the port’s control - but he is sure the worst case scenario warnings are off the mark.

He is also adamant the ��Ƶ is now far better prepared than March 31, the original Brexit date, when he says some of the worst fears could have become a reality as he said Government agencies and hauliers were not ready.

So what will change after Brexit?

When it comes to moving people it is basically as we were according to Mr Davies with the Common Travel Area remaining - ensuring the free movement of people between the ��Ƶ and Ireland after Brexit - even in the event of no-deal.

The main issue is freight and Brexit will bring changes and the potential for delays although there is growing confidence that significant problems will be avoided.

The biggest change for the port will be paperwork.

Currently freight trade - a sector that has grown for a decade - only needs to show a booking pass for a sailing and unless targeted for a further check can move past the port gates ahead of boarding.

Post Brexit, hauliers will have had to have completed customs paperwork before being allowed into the port.

This will be checked through by clerks on the gates.

A figure of 90 seconds for a straightforward passage has been quoted - although both Mr Davies and Mr Williams believe it will be quicker.

With 200 lorries to board per sailing that is not insignificant but should not bring “chaos”.

The problem arises for those who haven’t completed the work but port bosses are adamant this will not be their problem. A new facility at the Road King lorry stop, close to Holyhead port, has been established from which Border Force officials can assist with customs paperwork.

Mr Davies said: “Will there be disruption? Yes I think there will be for the first day or two, just because of uncertainty but this will be very short term.

“There will be no checks at the actual port on traffic going to Ireland.

“As long as the paperwork is there, everything will flow.

“We check they have their paperwork, that is what we are required to do, if he pays his tax and how he pays his tax, that’s between the Government and businesses.

“If the paperwork is not ready they will loop around and go and told not to come back until it is ready.

“The traffic flow through Holyhead, as it stands and with the plans in place, I don’t foresee any problems.

“There is the Welsh Government emergency plan on the A55 - I don’t see it being used myself. Around 80% of our trade comes from around 15% of our customers, and 99.9% of people will turn up on time and prepared because they are planning their logistics chains. They won’t rock up and think ‘I think I’ll try and get the next sailing’.

“From the port point of view we are okay, from ferry operators point of view there is a bit of concern.”

That concern arises from the other side of the Irish Sea.

He said: “We ask Irish customs ‘how will you deal with the border?’ and they say ‘what border, is it a border, you tell us if it’s a border and we’ll tell you how we’ll deal with it’.

“It’s such a political hot potato, that’s what makes our business planning that little bit harder.

“Some things you can control, it’s on your doorstep, but cargo is part of the political process, that is the unknown element in all of this.

“The other concern is that all the ferries go to Dublin, from Liverpool, Heysham and Holyhead.

“In the evening they are all in within an hour and a half of each other.

“That’s a huge amount of freight, if you get backlogs that’s where potentially there could be problems.”

He added: “What we have always said is that whatever is done it has to be done in an orderly manner so there is time to adjust.”

Then there is the longer term issue of freight circumnavigating the Uk on direct services from Ireland to continental Europe. Currently around a third of traffic through Holyhead either started its journey on the continent or will end up there.

He said: “The big debate in Ireland is about whether more traffic will avoid the Uk and yes the feeling is more will go, however for a lot of goods you would need a lot of delay to make it viable because of the time sensitive nature of these cargos.

“Dublin to Cherbourg takes around 20 hours at sea while it is around 36 to reach the Benelux countries. This compares to around 12-14 hours using the ��Ƶ as a landbridge.

“Those time differences matter. If we come out of Brexit with some form of deal then that trade will keep coming to Holyhead because you need a hell of a backlog or bureaucratic burden to change the current model.”

Confidence in the port is shown by the investment on shore side and in extra boats.

Mr Davies said: “We are investing in our future, spending £2.5m on Salt Island to make it more efficient.

“We have a new ship coming in in January, Irish Ferries are also investing in ships.

“The pace of growth through Holyhead has been unbelievable.

“As long as Europe keeps growing this corridor will continue to prosper. The future still looks good for the port.”