Hauliers are seeking up to €60 million a month in order to cope with the Holyhead Port closure.
The Port suffered severe damages in Storm Darragh which saw operations cease earlier this month.
It is predicted that the Port will have to remain closed until March of 2025 – but officially, Holyhead has said it will be opening on January 15th.
On Newstalk Breakfast, Irish Road Haulage Association President Ger Hyland said the €60 million per month sought would cover “additional costs” to the group’s members.
"A lot more mileage"
“With the closure of Holyhead, we're doing a lot more mileage,” he said.
“We're paying extra for ferries, we don't have the capacity.
“The capacity is not there on the sea routes at the minute.
“There will have to be extra ferries drafted in if the goods are to [get to Ireland].”
"Extra costs"
Mr Hyland explained how extra ferries create extra costs for hauliers.
“For example, all our trailers at the present time on both sides of the Irish Sea are now full of goods,” he said.
“So, we're hiring in extra trailers to do the job.
“A man that had 100 trailers, he now needs over 200 trailers to get the same job done.”
"Keep our hauliers afloat"
Mr Hyland has no particular source in mind for the €60 million additional costs funding should come from.
“Well, whether it's an EU fund or whether it's coming from the Irish Government, we really don't mind, so long as we get some funding,” he said.
“I need to help keep our hauliers afloat.”
Increasing delivery costs for customers is not a “viable” option for hauliers, Mr Hyland said.
“If we put their freight costs up by 30%-40%, are [our customers] going to be able to remain viable,” he asked.
"Viability"
It is at the level that that “viability for haulage companies” and “viability for customers” is touch and go at this point.
“The transport industry has always been a high turnover, low margin industry. Our members are typically working somewhere between 3% and 5%,” he said.
There are “definitely” some Christmas deliveries that won’t be making it over from the UK in time for Christmas, Mr Hyland said.
Irish Ferry Ulysses and Stena Ferry Holyhead Port. The Photolibrary Wales / Alamy.
