Ferry capacity issues are building up on direct Ireland-mainland Europe routes as lorries avoiding Brexit checks through Britain are “bumped” to make way for vital imports of medicines and medical equipment.

As The Irish Times writes, hauliers booked onto the new Rosslare to Dunkirk service operated by shipping line DFDS have complained that bookings are not being honoured where the ferries are overbooked.

This has caused problems for hauliers seeking certainty to transport fresh food to and from mainland Europe as they avoid delays at post-Brexit border controls on Irish-British routes.

Disruption to the supply chain through the UK landbridge has forced importers and exporters to rely more heavily on limited direct services between Rosslare and French ports.

Aidan Coffey, route director of DFDS, which started a new ferry service between Rosslare and Dunkirk on January 2nd, defended the shipping line’s booking system, saying that it was trying to accommodate as many requests as possible but that it has been “overwhelmed” by bookings.

The company had to be “as fair as we possibly can” but had given a commitment to the HSE and Department of Transport to prioritise the transport of medicine and medical supplies.

A DFDS “priority ship” brought in a mobile Covid testing lab on the 24-hour sailing from Dunkirk to Rosslare on Monday night.

“We are prioritising where we can. Sometimes when you are prioritising on critical medicines and medical equipment like that, you have to bump others on to other sailings,” he said.

“It is a trying time for everybody in transport and shipping. Systems are under pressure.”

Mr Coffey described the landbridge - over which about 150,000 Irish trucks cross every year - as a “no go” because of post-Brexit customs and regulatory checks blocking up supply chains.

As for rival ferry operators (click here) operating on these direct routes and the Irish Sea.

Operator Stena Line announced today that it will charter the ro-ro freight-ferry Seatruck Panorama to help boost capacity on its Belfast-Liverpool and Belfast- Heysham routes on the Irish Sea.

Following the dramatic COVID related drop in freight volumes, Stena Line was forced to remove one freight ship from its Belfast hub which resulted in reduced capacity and frequency.

During the summer months, Stena Line has seen an increase in freight demand and anticipates that extra capacity is required for the traditionally busy Autumn period as well as the expected increase in pre-Brexit trade activity.

Paul Grant, Stena Line Trade Director (Irish Sea) said: “Adding a seventh ship to our Belfast operations will help us increase frequency, capacity and give us greater operational flexibility. This extra ship will be capable of operating to Liverpool and Heysham thus ensuring that we can better match demand and the needs of customers. It has been a very challenging time for the freight industry, but we are confident that having additional capacity available on these important trading routes between England and Northern Ireland will help us provide an enhanced sailing schedule for our customers.”

The freight-only ship is expected to start service on 2nd September and will make 10 sailings weekly between Belfast and Liverpool/Heysham. The addition of Panorama on the Northern Ireland to England corridor will increase freight capacity by 28% and frequency will rise from 46 to 56 crossings weekly compared to the present.

In January 2021, Stena Line will further boost freight capacity when it adds the newly built Stena Embla to its Belfast – Liverpool service. Stena Embla will replace the smaller Stena Mersey and will join its sister ship Stena Edda and Stena Estrid in what is a significant upgrading of freight and passenger services across Stena Line’s Irish sea routes.

Paul Grant added: “Despite all of the challenges we and our customers are facing, Stena Line continues to develop its Belfast business hub with these exciting additions to our fleet. Stena Line remains committed to support the freight industry to the best of its abilities as it has done throughout the Coronavirus pandemic to date, helping to keep vital supply lines open.”