More Brexit chaos as a third of goods held back at port
A THIRD of goods moving from Great Britain to Dublin are being held back over documentation issues, with some requiring further checks, officials have said.
In the last week, fewer than three-quarters (70%) of freight movements have received immediate clearance from customs.
The remaining 30% have been labelled as ‘orange’ or ‘red’ – meaning they require further documentation checks from hauliers.
The figures are the latest sign of disruption between Ireland and Great Britain as a result of new, post- Brexit trade rules.
Thousands of trucks have passed through Dublin Port in the two weeks since the regulations came in.
They are unable to exit until they receive clearance from the Revenue, the Department of Agriculture or the HSE.
Although the port has not yet reached capacity, volumes have been rising steadily to around 600 movements a day – with up to 40 HGVs parked up over any period of time.
However, despite the numbers, Tom Talbot, head of customs operations at the port, said t hat t r ade volumes remain low in comparison with previous years.
He added that the difference between those who prepared for Brexit and those who did not is ‘quite stark’.
‘Once everything is in place, including the correct documentation, it is quite quick to clear those marked “orange” or “red”,’ he said.
‘In terms of more in- depth examinations, i t can be a slightly longer period, but once supporting documentation is in and everything is checked, it is quite [short].’
However, Mr Talbot stressed: ‘If the information provided on customs declarations is incomplete or the required documentation for goods is not available, then truck drivers and their goods will be held up at Irish ports.’
He also said that if the documentation ‘is not there, if it is wrong, inaccurate or incomplete, it won’t get through’.
Mr Talbot continued: ‘We will work with hauliers in questi o n to o bt a i n all outstanding information.
‘However, the goods can only be cleared from the port when the documentation is cleared.’ He added that many businesses have underestimated the preparation needed to get clearance to pass through Irish ports and into the EU.
Some companies have been ‘blaming everyone else’ and accusing Go v e r n me n t departments of ‘poor performance’, Mr Talbot said.
However, when port officials
‘Very much behind’
have investigated, they have f ound ‘ multiple errors on behalf of businesses’, he added. Although Mr Talbot said officials ‘will work’ with firms who have not prepared, he warned: ‘These companies are very much behind.’
He also denied suggestions Irish exporters were using ports in Northern Ireland to gain ‘unfettered access’ to Great Britain, saying goods movements from mainland Britain to the North were subject to the same rules.