Port chiefs warn MPs they need more details on post-Brexit plans

The government must provide more details of its plans for cross-channel customs checks if it wants to avoid delays at French ports and Eurotunnel after Brexit, MPs have been warned.

The warning came as representatives from Calais and Zeebrugge ports and Eurotunnel appeared before the cross-party Treasury select committee today (Tuesday) as part of an inquiry into Brexit.

They said the government needed to provide more information about its plans for customs arrangements during the two-year transition period, otherwise delays were likely to affect delivery times for goods being transported across the channel.

Eurotunnel. Stock picture (2408755)
Eurotunnel. Stock picture (2408755)

Joachim Coens, chief executive of Belgium’s Zeebrugge Port, said: “The transition period is fine so long as we know from the beginning of that transition period what we have to do. If there is no detail about what we have to do, we will never be ready - it is not possible.”

Mr Coens added that the French and Belgian government advice to ports on Brexit was to “prepare for the worst”.

That concern was echoed by Benoit Rochet, deputy chief executive of the Port of Calais. He said a major redevelopment of the Calais port would cost £20m taking into account the need to have additional space for lorries to be checked after Brexit.

“It will be expensive because we have to build a new port but those plans were drawn before Brexit and we had not planned anything like extra checks for lorries coming from the UK.”

The two ports along with Eurotunnel deal with an estimated £240bn of trade across the channel, according to John Keefe, head of PR for Eurotunnel.

He told MPs that while operators were “absolutely” ready to cope with Brexit provided there were detailed plans but any uncertainty over customs arrangements could lead to delays.

“Anything that stops the flow of traffic can be considered as a failure in the warehouse...the impact is not necessarily on the transporter or cross-channel carrier because goods will still come backwards and forwards."

"But there is the creeping impact on industry because they [may] not be getting goods in a timely manner and on consumers because they are not getting the choice and quality of goods they are used to.”

MP Charlie Elphicke. (2408853)
MP Charlie Elphicke. (2408853)

Speaking after the hearing, Dover MP Charlie Elphicke, a member of the committee, said: “It’s really encouraging to hear cross-Channel port operators say they can absolutely deliver Brexit border preparations. Yet they want more clarity from government. It’s high-time they had it.”

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