British Ports Association’s roll-on roll-off ferry port operators had a meeting with the junior Department for Exiting the EU, Minister Robin Walker MP, to discuss the implications that may occur when the UK leaves the EU.
As the British Ports Assocciation mentions, “post Brexit border requirements could see a disruption on roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) vehicle freight routes.”
That’s an important fact, considering that the ro-ro sector is estimated to facilitate around 40% of the UK’s international trade and a sizeable proportion of the UK’s EU trade.
British Ports Association’s Chief Executive Richard Ballantyne said: “We were today able to highlight what the possible implications of leaving the customs union and the single market will be for the ports and operators in this part of the logistics sector. We welcomed the Minister’s attention on this area and we have been able to highlight the concerns of this particularly significant part of the ports sector. It is vital that any Brexit deal focuses on the technical and potentially disruptive non-tariff barrier changes which could threaten the existing frictionless trade we currently enjoy at our borders.”
As far as the UK government is concerned, it has decided that, the best option for the ro-ro sector is to form a new customs partnership with the EU, which will not include any new customs requirements between the UK and the EU, but it will allow new trade deals to be agreed with countries around the world
However it remains to be seen if this option will find support with the EU and its members, British Ports Association notes.
