Cork, Ireland: Easyfresh is calling for a border control post in Cork to save importers thousands of euro per container.
The Port of Cork said because it does not have a post, containers are being re-routed to ports such as Southampton or Antwerp, before returning to Ireland for checks in Dublin.
There was a temporary derogation earlier this year for melons, to coincide with the central American growing season. Easyfresh general manager Gavin Sherwin said it was good to see the door open a little on this issue “but we truly believe the door can swing open in terms of a common sense approach on this issue.”
“Facilitating the necessary checks or as a compromise in the meantime — allowing for a derogation whereby containers with produce could travel by road for checks in Dublin — would encourage major shipping carriers to consider a direct Cork port call in the future, beyond Maersk’s weekly so-called ‘banana’ boat.” he said.
The Port of Cork chief commercial officer, Conor Mowlds, said derogations in the short term pending the setting up of a border control post at the port would be a win-win for the environment, consumers, customers, and the local and national economy.
Fine Gael TD David Stanton, who has raised the issue in the Dáil several times, said a border control post would be “good for business, the country and the consumer”.
