More direct ferry services between Ireland and mainland Europe are launched to meet growing demand from companies looking to avoid Brexit checks with Britain.
Brittany Ferries has unveiled three new weekly connections between the Irish ports of Rosslare and Cork, and Roscoff and Saint-Malo in northern France as traders seek more capacity on direct routes.
The new freight crossings will see three new departures per week out of Ireland with a ferry leaving Cork for Roscoff on a Tuesday, returning to Rosslare on a Thursday before departing that night for St Malo and returning to Cork before departing for Roscoff on a Saturday.
Sails
Departures are being announced as post-Brexit trade rules introduced on January 1 dissuade Irish and mainland European carriers from using the UK ‘land bridge’ due to increased customs checks and red tape. Over 150,000 trucks used this land bridge route each year.
The duration of the new direct services is approximately 18 hours. This is longer than the delay on the land bridge route, but there are no border controls because the freight stays in the European Union.
The company’s Cork-Roscoff service was scheduled to go live in late March, but this was brought forward due to increased post-Brexit demand from businesses.
The new crossings will operate until the end of March, when regular freight and passenger services resume between Cork and Roscoff, with two weekly crossings each way – doubling the frequency of the service for this year.
“It is clear that Brexit has distorted trade flows between France and Ireland. There is now a clear and compelling demand in Brittany and beyond to increase the region’s direct freight capacity to Ireland, ”said Hugh Bruton, Managing Director of Brittany Ferries Ireland.
Connections
“And Irish traders are also looking for direct links with western France. We are always listening to our transport customers in order to best meet their needs and we are delighted to restart the Brittany-Ireland routes two months earlier than planned.
The company’s new crossings are in addition to the additional weekly Rosslare-Cherbourg return service that was introduced in mid-January. The company also already operates two weekly return connections between Rosslare and Bilbao in northern Spain.
The new routes bring the company’s number of weekly crossings to eight each way between Ireland and France, and a total of 12 crossings per week connecting Ireland with France and Spain.
Conor Mowlds, Commercial Director of the Port of Cork, said the two new freight-only services from Cork to St Malo and Roscoff would offer transport options to importers and exporters giving “more flexibility to Irish customers, ensuring that chains are maintained. supply ”.
Cargo
The new services bring the number of direct crossings to and from Rosslare and mainland Europe to 32, with the south-eastern port enjoying record levels of freight as companies seek to secure supply lines and avoid post-Brexit border controls and border controls with Great Britain.
Glenn Carr, managing director of Rosslare Europort, owned by Iarnród Eireann, said the new crossings would offer “more choice and capacity” alongside existing Brittany Ferries services from Rosslare to Bilbao and Cherbourg.
The launch of the St Malo line responds in particular to the demands of traders wishing to transport agrifood and fishery products between Ireland and the north of France.