PLANS for a new direct shipping route between the UK and Morocco, which bypasses the EU, have been confirmed by Poole Harbour Commissioners.
The proposed ferry service would travel between Poole in Dorset and Tanger Med near Tangier. The “roll-on, roll-off” service would cut the journey time between Britain and Morocco in half from six days to just three.
Currently, seaborne trade between the two countries has to make two sea crossings, from the UK to Spain then Spain to Morocco.
United Seaways, the company behind the plan, hopes to begin trading in the next few months.
The news was first reported by The Grocer magazine before being confirmed by authorities in Poole.
There are concerns trade with the EU will be disrupted when additional checks on trade are introduced in July.
There are concerns trade with the EU will be disrupted when additional checks on trade are introduced in July.
The UK will soon have a direct ferry route to Morocco (Image: GETTY•BINGMAPS)
Britain is now trading with the EU under a new deal negotiated by Boris Johnson (Image: GETTY)
Speaking to The Grocer Nigel Jenney, CEO of the Produce Consortium, warned this could “cause a level of disruption the industry hasn’t seen for generations”.
In October 2019 Britain signed a new trade deal with Morocco providing continued access to its market.
Trade between Morocco and the UK was valued at around £2.5bn in 2018.
The hope is this will help compensate for any trade lost when new checks with the EU come into place in July.
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Trade between Morocco and the UK was valued at £2.5bn in 2018 (Image: GETTY)
