Brexit border control ‘lorry parks’ project takes the next step
TENDER INVITATION DUE THIS WEEK
MOVES to build a new border control post at Hull docks are set to step up a gear this week.
The new facility earmarked for King George Dock is one of two being planned on land around the Humber owned by Associated British Ports (ABP).
Dubbed by some as Brexit lorry parks, they will provide facilities for customs and port health inspectors to carry out the huge volume of new required checks on goods arriving from the European Union once the current transition period covering the UK’S departure from the EU ends in December.
Building work will include new parking areas, buildings and facilities for both drivers and customs and port health staff.
However, physical inspections on EU imports are not due to start until next July.
Latest forecasts suggest nearly 300 physical inspections of EU food products will be required every year at Hull and Killingholme.
Each inspection will physically take around an hour to complete.
At the moment, there are no physical checks on EU food imports arriving in Hull under current frictionless trade arrangements between EU member states.
In addition, nearly 19,000 documentary checks will be required annually on EU food and high-risk non-food products arriving at the two ports.
The Government has yet to estimate the amount of extra checks required on EU fish and organic products, such as flowers, which are due to start on January 1.
As well as Hull, similar facilities are also being planned on the South Bank at the Humber Sea Terminal in Killingholme.
The port-based sites have been proposed by ABP as an alternative to the new inland border control facilities, currently being built in Kent, aimed at avoiding congestion at the Channel ports.
Together, the value of the work to build the new facilities at the Humber ports is £12m.
The King George Dock site is currently being advertised by ABP as potential development land, available on a leasehold.
It covers more than 100 acres and has direct access to both the A1033 and a dedicated rail line.
Construction firms had until October 31, to express an interest in the two schemes in Hull and Killingholme with invitations to tender due to be sent out later this week.
Bidders for the two-stage process will first need to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire before a four-strong shortlist is drawn up to enter a second stage of negotiations.
The development contract will run from December 15 to June 3, 2021.
A spokesperson for ABP said: “ABP is in the initial stages of tendering for the design and construction of the border infrastructure required for Hull.
“We will advise on further details as the project develops.”
ABP has lodged a funding bid with the Government to cover the cost.