Freight volumes in 2022 “well down” on pre-Brexit levels, Brittany Ferries reveals

Freight volumes on Brittany Ferries remained significantly down last year as the twin impact of Brexit and Covid-19 pandemic continued to take its toll.

According to the latest figures from Brittany Ferries, freight volumes reached 167,711 units last year, 17% down on pre-Brexit and pre-Covid levels in 2018/19, which came in at 201,554.

However the shift away from the Channel routes, following the introduction of Brexit border controls, has continued to benefit Ireland.

Freight volume between Ireland and France and Spain rose by a staggering 272% up from 6,377 in 2018/19 to 23,717 in 2021/22.

Brittany Ferries said the reduction in freight volumes was “well down” on pre-Brexit and pre-Covid levels, adding that the fall was “largely attributable to reduced volumes on Channel routes, but once again, Ireland stood out in terms of growth for the year.

“This was largely a consequence of trade flows shifting due to Brexit, as hauliers sought alternatives to the UK landbridge when transporting goods between mainland Europe and Ireland.”

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Another beneficiary of the trade shift away from the Channel ports is the Cherbourg to Portsmouth route which saw freight volumes rocket 593%, up from 313 in pre-Brexit 2018/19 to 2,168 in 2021/22.

Brittany Ferries released the figures following its AGM last week along with its financial results for the year to November 2021 to October 2022.

The ferry operator reported a profit of €22.6m (£20m), with a total turnover of €444,7m (£3921m) for the year. This was more than double the preceding year’s turnover of €202.4m (£178m) and just €22m (£19.4m) shy of turnover recorded in the 2018-2019 financial year - the last pre-Brexit and Covid financial year.

Looking ahead, the company said it remains confident with overall bookings up by 23% so far this year, which it said points to a recovery towards pre-Covid business volumes.

The company said it is also continuing to push forward its multimodal sea-rail project connecting Cherbourg and Bayonne by rail. The unaccompanied-freight service is due to open for business in 2024.

It added that its entire Brittany Ferries fleet of 10 mixed passenger-freight ships will be deployed from the end of this month.