Dear All;
Following weather damage caused by Storm Darragh, Holyhead Port has needed to close for urgent repair works temporarily and is not expected to open until at least 15 January 2025.
HMRC continues to work with Holyhead Port, the affected maritime carriers and the 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 on contingency routes with affected carriers, which means you may need to change the routes you select on GVMS. Full details are 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 below-mentioned routes while Holyhead remains closed. Please 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 upon, 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 – Pembroke, select the’Rosslare-Pembroke route on GVMS
- For journeys from Dublin – Fishguard, select the Rosslare – Fishguard route on GVMS
- For journeys from Dublin – Birkenhead, select the Dublin – Birkenhead 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 from which the goods will leave and the route selected in GVMS. If the Arrived Export exit location does not match 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 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 Pembroke to Dublin, select the ‘’Pembroke-Rosslare’’ route on GVMS
- For journeys from Fishguard – Dublin, select the ‘Fishguard – Rosslare’ route on GVMS
- For journeys from Birkenhead – Dublin, select the ‘Dublin’ route on GVMS
- For journeys from Heysham – Dublin, select the ‘Heysham – Dublin’ route on GVMS.
We will communicate with you when Holyhead Port reopens.
Best regards.