Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    • February 2025
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    • October 2023
    • Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    • September 2023
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
  • FREE Email Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
Twitter LinkedIn
Podcast
Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    3. June 2025
    4. 2025 Innovation supplement
    5. May 2025
    6. April 2025
    7. March 2025
    8. 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    9. February 2025
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. October 2024
    14. September 2024
    15. 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    20. June 2024
    21. 2024 Innovation supplement
    22. Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    23. May 2024
    24. April 2024
    25. March 2024
    26. February 2024
    27. January 2024
    28. December 2023
    29. November 2023
    30. Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    31. October 2023
    32. Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    33. September 2023
    Featured

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    By Chloe RyanJuly 1, 2025
    Recent

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    July 1, 2025

    Poultry Business – 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement

    July 1, 2025

    Poultry Business – June 2025 issue

    June 9, 2025
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
Poultry News
Business

Dover is catastrophically unprepared for Brexit, freight boss warns

Chloe RyanBy Chloe RyanAugust 28, 20184 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

Peter Ward, chief executive of UKWA (United Kingdom Warehousing Association) has warned that the port of Dover could face chaos if Rest of World (ROW) rules apply post Brexit to inspection of food imports from the EU.

Speaking to BBC News, Ward explained there are no inspection facilities at ports, such as Dover, nor the time or space to build any. This could result in unprecedented delays at the port, he said.

“Irrespective of the final form of Brexit – ‘no deal’, ‘hard’ Brexit or ‘soft’ Brexit – we expect an interruption in food supply chains. Market forces will mitigate the risk of delays by holding more stock closer to consumers in the UK, which may be good news for the warehousing industry in the long term, but from March 2019 there is simply not sufficient capacity nor the infrastructure to cope.”

Ward argued developing the necessary infrastructure will take years and considerable investment; to illustrate the point he accompanied Home Affairs Editor Mark Easton and the BBC film crew to see the Border Control Post at London Gateway port, a 200,000 sq ft multi-temperature state-of-the-art purpose-built facility with 22 loading doors and sufficient power to plug in hundreds of reefer containers.

“44% of what we eat comes into Dover from the EU, which is the equivalent of 1,000 trucks per day through the port on ferries and the tunnel. If we are going to take real control of our borders, how this food going to be inspected consistent with ROW rules from March 2019 is critical, especially as port of Dover doesn’t have any such facilities as those at London Gateway, nor the necessary plug in points to power temperature-controlled vehicles,” he said. “The only way to keep food cool while waiting for inspection will be to keep diesel engines running, costing more money and impacting badly on the environment.”

Although London Gateway was built for non-EU trade, as a container port it has been designed to meet the requirements of the future. Even so, Peter Ward emphasizes that there is no such thing as “frictionless trade” either at London Gateway or anywhere else.

Accordingly, on behalf of the industry, UKWA is calling for urgent action from government to recognise and respond to the challenges ahead.

“We are proposing that the government considers a change of legislation to allow food inspections at inland premises,” Ward said. “Currently inspections must be conducted within the port boundary, but post-Brexit clearly this will be impractical. Such a change would bring opportunities for UKWA members and others to adapt existing premises to accommodate inspection facilities and bring online necessary capacity more quickly.”

He acknowledged that given the volumes involved, location of facilities would need to be close to both power supply and a sustainable labour pool, which in turn will trigger other concerns.

“The question is how the trade-off between national planning policy, devolved to local authorities, and resistance of local residents to large warehousing/distribution developments on the doorstep will be balanced against the need to ensure the nation continues to be fed?”

Ward added UKWA is consulting with government and providing feedback from members on all these issues, supplying the necessary detail to enable coherent and effective policy to be formulated going forward.

“UKWA is here to help government understand the perspective of the industry on the real impact Brexit is likely to have, particularly on food supply chains. Meantime, we are advising our members to prepare for a no deal Brexit and the 300,000 business that currently trade with the EU only to classify goods per UCC (Unified Customs Code), apply for deferment accounts and find partners and/or trade association that can help them prepare for the turbulent times ahead.”

Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Previous ArticleTechnical notice serves as warning over continuity of British food exports
Next Article Grants for chicken research awarded to Bristol Vet School
Chloe Ryan

Editor of Poultry Business, Chloe has spent the past decade writing about the food industry from farming, through manufacturing, retail and foodservice. When not working, dog walking and reading biographies are her favourite hobbies.

Read Similar Stories

Business & Politics

Comment: A cautious welcome for Defra’s spending plans

July 14, 20254 Mins Read
Business & Politics

Comment: New catching rules are a disaster

July 10, 20253 Mins Read
Business & Politics

Comment: Skills for what?

July 10, 20253 Mins Read
Latest News

Comment: Why I still believe the Better Chicken Commitment has a future

July 14, 2025

Comment: A cautious welcome for Defra’s spending plans

July 14, 2025

EFSA warns of bird migration and US imports pathways for AI into Europe

July 11, 2025
Sponsored Content

Navigating Sustainability in Egg Production: Practical Steps for Producers

June 1, 2025

Maintain stable and continuous coccidiosis control amidst stocking density reductions

November 1, 2024
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

  • Farmers Weekly
  • AA Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • Pig World

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.