Brexit turns 12-hour shipping route into 4-day epic via three countries
PLANTS are being shipped from Ireland to Wales on a 1,400-mile, three-nation detour instead of through Holyhead – because of Brexit.
The 170-mile journey between Neil Alcock’s Seiont Nurseries in Caernarfon and his supplier in Kilkenny used to take just 12 hours via Holyhead.
Now red tape means a four-day marathon via France, Holland and England, at £280 a trolley instead of £100.
Neil, 51, told The Mirror: “It’s ridiculous and not sustainable.
“Holyhead is the best solution but we can’t find hauliers because they worry about paperwork errors holding them up.
“The only way is via Europe on existing trade routes.
“It makes no sense but it’s our only option.”
Plants are now driven to Rosslare and shipped to Dunkirk, in northern France. They go by road to Aalsmeer, in the Netherlands, to join other plants being imported by Seiont.
The larger consignment is driven to Rotterdam, shipped to Harwich, Essex, and then driven 330 miles across England into Wales.
Neil previously used groupage, where shipments from different firms go on one lorry.
But he says hauliers stopped offering groupage on the Irish route because if one order has a mistake on the paperwork “the whole cargo is held up”.
He says plants don’t suffer during the cold weather, but fears the worst if they are hauled for four days in the heat.
Government agency Defra said: “We are phasing in new checks to give businesses time to adjust and are providing extensive advice and support.”