Welsh ports have been treated with “disregard” in the post-Brexit arrangements and trade could be hit further by moves to eliminate most checks between Britain and Northern Ireland.
Ports like Holyhead remain at around 80% of pre-Brexit trading levels thanks to a divergence of trade to direct routes between Ireland and the EU as well as to sailings between English and Scottish ports and Northern Ireland. Those rival routes offer the advantage of either zero or limited trade barriers - putting Welsh ports with routes to Ireland at a competitive disadvantage.
A vote this week to scrap parts of the post-Brexit deal between the UK and the EU and make it easier for some goods to flow from Great Britain to Northern Ireland could mean the situation may deteriorate further and be here for the long term.
