Following weather damage caused by Storm Darragh, Holyhead Port has needed to temporarily close for urgent repair works and is not expected to open until at least 15 January 2025. HMRC continues to work with Holyhead Port, the affected maritime carriers and with Border Force to monitor the situation. We recognise the temporary closure of this commercial port location will cause disruption, and we are actively engaged with these stakeholders to support and facilitate contingency arrangements where possible. We can confirm that HMRC’s Customs Declaration Service (CDS) and Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) systems continue to operate without issue. We have agreed contingency routes with affected carriers and this means you may need to make some changes to routes you select on GVMS. Full details are set out below, but Holyhead should not be used for either imports or exports. We can also reassure you that you will not be penalised for selecting the routes set out below while Holyhead remains closed. Please ensure to check the sailing schedule of the carrier you wish to travel with for further details during this period.

Imports from Ireland to Great Britain

Declarants should continue to submit import declarations into GB as normal. Please be assured that where a contingency arrangement has been agreed, your declaration will automatically update to reflect the port you are arriving at. Hauliers should select the following routes on GVMS:

• For journeys from Dublin – Fishguard, select the ‘Rosslare – Fishguard’ route on GVMS
• For journeys from Dublin – Birkenhead/Liverpool, select the ‘Dublin – Liverpool’ route on GVMS
• For journeys from Dublin – Heysham, select the ‘Dublin – Heysham’ route on GVMS.

Exports from Great Britain to Ireland

Declarants should ensure the Arrived Export location declared on the declaration matches the Arrived Export location that the goods will leave from and the route that is selected in GVMS. If the Arrived Export location of exit does not match between the declaration and GVMS, the Goods Movement Reference (GMR) will not be allowed to check-in as the declaration cannot be correctly confirmed as departed. If the location the goods will leave from changes after an export declaration has been submitted, the declarant must cancel their CDS Arrived Export declaration and submit a new CDS Arrived Export declaration with the revised routing Arrived Export location code in Data Element 5/23. Hauliers should select the following routes on GVMS:

• For journeys from Fishguard – Dublin, select the ‘Fishguard – Rosslare’ route on GVMS
• For journeys from Birkenhead/Liverpool – Dublin, select the ‘Liverpool – Dublin’ route on GVMS
• For journeys from Heysham – Dublin, select the ‘Heysham – Dublin’ route on GVMS.

We will communicate with you further in January and we know more about when Holyhead Port will reopen.

HMRC