... OR BUST?
Plummeting freight traffic sparks flagship ferry switch to EU direct route as political row flares over post-Brexit issues for port:
STENA Line is to move its passenger and vehicle ferry Stena Estrid from Holyhead to create a new weekend service between Dublin and Cherbourg.
The ferry firm is still reporting a more-than 60% drop in freight trade on routes between Wales and Ireland compared with similar periods in previous years.
It follows a surge in demand for direct services between Ireland and the rest of the EU and also stockpiling prior to end of the Brexit transition period on December 31.
Additional red tape on trading is impacting retailers, hauliers and ports in the UK and the island of Ireland, while Covid travel restrictions are also hitting passenger figures.
This has seen Stena cancel some of its normal weekend sailings between Holyhead and Dublin.
Now the flagship Stena Estrid will be moved to a direct Dublin to Cherbourg service on weekends.
A source said they were “testing the water” on the new route but they hope to see trade levels return to normal at Holyhead in the long term.
The Stena Adventurer will continue to operate on the Holyhead route at weekends.
This week also saw Stena take the brand-new Stena Embla off the Liverpool-Belfast service and move it to the Rosslare-Cherbourg route.
Prior to the end of transition there were concerns about congestion at Holyhead port but the fall in trade has meant this has not been the issue.
In terms of trucks turned back at the port, this is now at around 8% of trips, with 70% of these resolved close to the port.