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Warrenpoint Port is losing significant volume and traffic with customers choosing to ship directly to Dublin due to Brexit introduced regulations and the latest Windsor Framework amendment. The north's second largest port carries around 12% of all import and export cargo.
The Port suggested a potential solution in a written submission by Warrenpoint Port to the UK Government's Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland Sub-Committee on 16 May 2023.
The potential solution would be for the port to become a 'Point of Entry Port for Ireland' to enable the port traffic to close their transit in Warrenpoint. Currently this doesn't happen and causes cash flow difficulties with customs bonds etc meaning that it's extremely prohibitive for customers travelling south to use the port.
The submission explained "Warrenpoint Port is situated 300m metres across Carlingford Lough from Republic of Ireland and approximately 10 miles via road. This will be reduced to approximately 6 miles when the Southern Relief Road is constructed.
"Traditionally all freight traffic from GB bound for Republic of Ireland that was closer to Warrenpoint than Dublin- (counties Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Donegal) moved through Warrenpoint. This made economic and environmental sense." This stopped when Brexit was introduced as goods destined for south of the border cannot close their Transit in Warrenpoint.
Transits through Warrenpoint are coved by a customs bond and if they are not closed, any potential duty or tax will be charged to the bond. To close the bond correctly an import declaration must be submitted to Irish Revenue within 90 days. The duty problem is not solved by the Windsor Framework because duty has to be paid to HMRC who will then transfer to Irish Revenue Commissioners and then final customer will have to try to get this back from Irish Revenue Commissioners, something that obviously could take some time and cause cash flow and administrative problems as the two systems are currently not engaging with each other.
The submission adds "Warrenpoint Port is losing significant volume and traffic because of this issue. The solution under the Windsor Framework will not work for ROI goods as no-one in ROI is going to import goods through NI if they cannot postpone the import vat and duty."
Concluding the submission stated "We request HMRC and Irish Revenue Commissioners to discuss this issue and ascertain if a digital solution could be put in place. This would then require both sides to allow Warrenpoint Port to become a Port of Entry via a Red Lane for goods which are travelling to Republic of Ireland within the natural hinterland of Warrenpoint Port, in the same way as Warrenpoint Port is a Port of Exit for goods leaving Republic of Ireland to go to GB."
