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The arrival of the world’s largest ferry on a Dublin to continental Europe route has sparked post Brexit fears over trade at Holyhead port.

The 234m ro-ro freight ferry Celine is being introduced on an Ireland to Belgium route by cargo group CLdN - increasing capacity on that service.

There are concerns this is part of a wider trend to hike up capacity on routes to and from Ireland that by-pass the UK to avoid potential tariffs and customs delays after Brexit.

Port bosses at Cork have already said they expect to see a “reorientation of logistics” post Brexit.

This would be bad news for Holyhead - the second largest ferry port in the UK after Dover - with the risk that trade is lost to these routes.

Anglesey MP Albert Owen said he has been raising this issue for months but fears the message is not getting through.

He said: “This (the new vessel) highlights the concerns I have already raised with the PM, Brexit Secretary David Davies and Welsh Secretary Alan Cairns but they don’t seem to get it.

“The uncertainty means that shipping firms will be looking at Brexit proof plans that will not be impacted by potential tariffs.

“The future rate of tariffs will decide how big this problem is. Holyhead remains the fastest and most cost effective route, and for certain goods like food this will not change.

“But for non-perishable goods the tariffs and customs delays could see some firms look to go direct from Ireland to the European mainland. This would not just impact Holyhead but all ports in Wales, England and Scotland.

“I will use this(the new vessel) to again raise the issue with Alan Cairns.”

MP Mr Owen has proposed a bespoke customs union between the UK and Ireland so people and goods can travel freely.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has also called for the European Union and Britain to find “unique solutions” to their Brexit logjam, including a bespoke customs union.

This week Brexit Secretary David Davis admitted “nothing” had been discussed that was “explicit to Holyhead” in the Brexit talks after he was asked by Arfon Plaid Cymru MP Hywel Williams.

Mr Davis did underscore the importance of trade across the Irish Sea, saying: “One of my aims in this is to try and get an outcome which doesn’t do harm to Ireland.

"Ireland is the country which is most dependent on us for trade – I think it’s about a billion a week in both directions.

“They have got a great deal of, as it were, investment in maintaining sales both to us and through us to the continent, and of course much of that comes through Holyhead.”

Port of Holyhead is operated by Stena Line Ports Ltd, who are the statutory Harbour Authority.

They did not want to comment.