Ferry operator Stena Line has cancelled several Irish Sea sailings again this weekend as the post-Brexit trade slump continues at Holyhead and Fishguard, writes NorthWalesLive.
The operator is still reporting a 70% drop in freight trade on routes between Wales and Ireland compared with similar periods in previous years.
The reasons are stockpiling prior to the end of the post-Brexit transition period and a surge in direct services between Ireland and the rest of the EU.
Additional red tape on trading is impacting retailers, hauliers and ports in the UK and the island of Ireland - while Covid travel restrictions are hitting passenger figures.
This week saw Stena take the brand-new Stena Embla off the Liverpool-Belfast route and transferred (temporarily) to the Rosslare-Cherbourg route. (Afloat adds the new Chinese built E-Flexer series ropax completed a delivery voyage to Belfast recently and so never entered on the route to Merseyside).
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.
For much more on the slump in services click here.
