LAST UPDATE | 13 Dec 2024
AN POST HAS said it received about 350,000 parcels from the UK as of this morning as British retailers find alternatives to sending goods through the Holyhead port in Wales, which has been closed since Storm Darragh.
Meanwhile, transport Ministers Eamon Ryan and James Lawless, as well as the Department of Transport, are engaging with stakeholders and have been briefed on “all possible solutions so that trade supplies and passenger traffic can be accommodated through alternative ports as effectively as possible”.
From this week, additional capacity is being provided from Rosslare and Irish Ferries is assigning the WB Yeats to replace the Isle of Innisfree this week.
Rosslare Europort is currently experiencing an increase of over 120% in freight volumes from the UK when compared to previous weeks.
A spokesperson said Rosslare Europort will do all in its “power to provide additional capacity and support at the port that will help address the challenges and concerns being experienced”.
Stena Line Ferries has also introduced an additional sailing to Liverpool and while the Port of Cork currently has no direct UK sailings, it has indicated that it has the capacity to operate one sailing a day, and possibly two, based on scheduling.
Ministers Ryan and Lawless have also suggested that more Northern ports and routes could also be considered.
They will continue to engage with stakeholders over the weekend and intend to meet with Irish Ferries and Stena Line on Monday.
Minister Lawless has written to his counterpart in the Welsh Assembly, Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, to arrange a meeting.
The Ministers will also write to the Secretary of State for Transport for the UK, Heidi Alexander.
In a social media post, An Post said: “Many UK retailers have worked to secure alternative routes into to Ireland while Holyhead remains closed, resulting in a much decreased backlog of parcel trucks at Holyhead,”
An Post added that it has the “facilities technology and staff to process and deliver” the hundreds of thousands of parcels.
For people who ordered something from the UK before Storm Darragh, An Post said “it should arrive in the coming days but check directly with your retailer”.
“There is ongoing speculation as to a resumption date for ferry traffic through Holyhead but as of this morning, the last of the 150,000 UK parcels destined for An Post and affected by the port closure have been re-routed to other UK ports,” a spokesperson for An Post said.
“Larger capacity ferries are now accessing Ireland from Wales, Scotland and Liverpool via Rosslare Europort, Larne and Dublin Port, and will continue to do so right up to Christmas and into New Year 2025.”
UK parcels are being received by An Post at its Dublin, Portlaoise and Athlone hubs for processing and delivery tomorrow and early next week.
“These large hubs have the latest technology, equipment and additional Christmas staff to meet this challenge and to deal with parcels arriving by air, as well as large volumes of domestic parcels being posted by Irish brands and personal customers,” An Post said.
The ferries bringing incoming goods via Dublin, Larne and Rosslare are also carrying outbound parcel traffic back to the UK and beyond, though this may add some time to the journey.
If you are planning to order from UK retailers, check with them regarding their delivery dates for Ireland, the postal service advised.
“All outgoing international parcel services are operating normally,” An Post said, adding that post offices will remain open this Saturday.
An Post will be delivering up to Christmas Eve all parcels received by 21 December.
Simon McKeever of the Irish Exporters Association, speaking to The Journal, said that shipping companies are trying to divert ships to other ports but uncertainty about when Holyhead would reopen created challenges for making decisions, as well as managing the locations of trucks, trailers and drivers.
Additionally, many passengers who were due to travel on the cancelled ships may be looking to re-book, he said, raising questions about: “When people are travelling home for Christmas in both directions, who gets priority on that boat?”
CEO of Freight Transport Association Ireland (FTA) Aidan Flynn said that the disruption has come at a difficult time of year in the run-up to Christmas and that it is “creating concern and anxiety”.
However, he added that the supply chain “is resilient”.
“We’re beginning to see a moving of supply lines to Liverpool and Pembroke and Fishguard out of Rosslare and Dublin,” Flynn said, speaking to The Journal.
“That will help alleviate it but the main priority is to get Holyhead open again.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say