A backlog of 500,000 parcels destined for Irish customers caused by the closure of Holyhead Port due to damage caused by Storm Darragh is being rerouted, but An Post cannot guarantee that all will be delivered before Christmas Day.
However, the backlog has been greatly reduced to 150,000 as other routes and haulage companies are working on ensuring the parcels are being redirected primarily through Rosslare Europort, Larne and Dublin Port.
Many UK retailers have worked with ferry companies to secure other routes into Ireland while Holyhead remains closed. Larger capacity ferries are now accessing Ireland from Wales, Scotland and Liverpool resulting in a much decreased build-up of parcel trucks at Holyhead.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Garrett Bridgeman, managing director of An Post Commercial, explained that Holyhead Port remains closed as ferry berths were damaged and officially management are saying “it won’t be open until December 19th at the earliest.”
Mr Bridgeman continued: “All the traffic we have, the 500,000 parcels we have are being rerouted around and will arrive into us over the coming days but we can’t guarantee because we don’t know if the specific customer’s package hasn’t been rerouted.
“So what we are saying to people is check with your retailer and double check. Keep checking the tracking associated with it [the parcel]. The minute it arrives into us it will be delivered. Also check with customer services but a person should receive the parcel if it was ordered pre-Storm Darragh.”
An Post received 350,000 UK parcels overnight and has the facilities, technology and staff across its Dublin, Portlaoise and Athlone hubs to process and deliver them, he said.
“There are also 1,400 Christmas casual workers working for An Post helping to sort the situation as quickly as possible with rerouting working well.” An Post will provide daily updates to customers regarding the Holyhead Port closure and its impact on parcel freight into Ireland.
There is much speculation and differing options regarding the resumption date for ferry traffic through Holyhead, and that is now expected to be next Thursday, December 19th.
For customers who ordered parcels before Storm Darragh and have not yet got them, An Post is advising that these should arrive in the coming days but that customers should check with their retailer.
Mr Bridgeman pointed out An Post has worked with all its UK retailers and many have secured other routes into Ireland and they have rerouted their parcels away from Holyhead and are now using other ports.
“Stena Line and Irish Ferries have now rerouted some of their largest cargo ships from Holyhead to these alternative ports. [It] is actually moving now. We had a backlog of 500,000 but we actually received, overnight, over 350,000 parcels which we are currently sorting and will be getting out [to customers] in the next 48 hours. This is not a problem for us at this time of year. It won’t be a problem for us,” Mr Bridgeman noted.
The CEO explained the haulage business is “actually doing a stellar job” to cope with the situation. “This is a huge issue for the haulage companies but they are doing their best,” Mr Bridgeman said.
If anyone is planning to order from UK retailers, An Post is appealing with customers to check with them regarding their delivery dates for Ireland – they may have secured working routes into Ireland, though dispatch times from the UK may take longer than normal.
All outgoing international parcel services are operating normally without delay. There will be nationwide parcel deliveries and all post offices will remain open this Saturday, December 14th. An Post will be delivering up to Christmas Eve all parcels received by December 21st.
An Post is advising customers to shop local with Irish retailers, and to buy Irish.
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