Warrenpoint Port sees boost in trade due to Brexit stockpiling

Warrenpoint Port has had a sizeable boost to the start of the year as companies on both sides of the border prepare for the impact of Brexit on March 29th.

While the vast majority of Northern Ireland's seaborne trade takes place in Belfast harbour, the harbour in Warrenpoint typically handles around 12% of the region's sea freight. The port has seen a massive boost in the amount of raw materials such as timber, cement, and steel it's handled since the beginning of 2019, and it looks like Brexit is the reason.

The port authority's chief executive Clare Guinness believes that companies are stockpiling supplies in anticipation of the UK leaving the EU. "Customers are telling us that because of the continuing uncertainty, they are buying ahead to make sure that they have the commodities they will need after 29 March," she told the BBC, adding that uncertainty about delays is causing companies to buy ahead of time.

Warrenpoint Port is located on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland and overlooks Carlingford Lough, which separates the two coastlines and provides sea access. The location of the port has raised concerns that border checks in the area may be impractical to enforce in the event of a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, and that it may simply lead to widespread smuggling in the area.