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FTA Ireland calls for Brexit ferry boost

[ November 9, 2020   //   ]

FTA Ireland (FTAI) has called on the country’s government to support new ferry services to offset the risk from a No Deal Brexit to the landbridge route between Ireland and mainland Europe across the UK.

Responding to the launch of an Irish Maritime Development Office’s (IMDO) report, general manager  Aidan Flynn, said: “A No Deal Brexit could lead to serious disruption on the UK’s so called land and delays of just 12 hours would compromise Ireland’s maritime connectivity to continental Europe severely. To establish robust and sustainable alternatives to the route, the government must help to install multiple new, fast, daily ferry services to Northern France; this would also serve to open Ireland up to new trading opportunities post-Brexit transition period.

“While IMDO’s suggestion of expanding the current routes to Cherbourg and Roscoff are welcome, with a sailing time of 18 hours, these services do not offer a viable alternative to the land bridge, which allows vehicles to access the European mainland in a fraction of this time. We must ensure that Irish hauliers, once landing in France, have not exceeded their drivers’ hours and are able to complete their journeys to the heart of the EU market in a timely fashion.”

Mr Flynn continues: “Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands are critical markets for Ireland both in terms of imports and exports. Also opening new routes closer to these markets will serve to protect the international haulage sector in Ireland.”

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