Ferry operator Stena Line has called for 'green' lanes to be applied on Dublin-Holyhead route for Northern Ireland-bound goods similar to lanes proposed for ports in the North under the new Brexit deal.
The Swedish owned firm, the largest Irish Sea ferry operator with five routes, wants freight companies moving loads from Britain to Northern Ireland through Dublin Port “via the Irish land bridge” to be “treated equally” with those shipping directly on routes to Northern Ireland.
The call from Stena in regards to changes on the Wales-Ireland route was floated in a statement setting out the company’s response to the Windsor Framework announced on Monday. Under the new EU-UK deal, it proposes to remove customs checks at ports in Northern Ireland when goods are shipped from Britain but are only destined for markets within the North.
As reported by The Irish Times, the deal would create 'red' lanes at ports in Northern Ireland for when goods are moved on into the Republic. Goods in this jurisdiction, however would still be subject to customs checks and inspections as required under the EU’s food and plant health rules.
Afloat.ie lists below Stena Line's network of five Irish Sea routes:
Britain-Northern Ireland
Cairnryan-Belfast
Heysham-Belfast (freight-only)
Birkenhead (Liverpool)-Belfast
Britain-Ireland
Holyhead-Dublin
Fishguard-Rosslare
The newspaper has more on the story here including that Stena has applied for a 'free port' status for Holyhead, the north Wales port which it owns and operates.
