U.K. trade and travel face more disruption at key channel port

Adverse weather, increased traffic because of spring holiday season and the fallout from a labor dispute at one of Britain’s biggest ferry operators are combining to disrupt a major port in the country, impacting trade routes and travel plans.

Vacationers and freight drivers experienced nine-hour waiting times on the roads approaching the Port of Dover on Saturday as they head to continental Europe and England’s south coast. While that’s started to ease, delays are expected to continue for days.

The biggest disruption could be to imported goods at a time when the price of such things as food is already rising. While some of the goods caught up in the gridlock are exports, most are empty vehicles returning to Europe to pick up more deliveries for the U.K. market, said Richard Ballantyne, chief executive officer of the British Ports Association.

“Trade is not being massively impacted as of yet, but it could add some extra costs because it’s delaying drivers getting back to Europe,” he said on Sunday. “It might lead to minor delays of things that are meant to arrive here. Given things are moving, it’s not as dramatic as it might have been.”

The suspension of services run by P&O Ferries following the recent firing of 800 workers has contributed to the U.K.’s already-stretched supply chains. P&O, owned by Dubai-based DP World, sparked uproar last month when it dismissed the workers without consultation. It’s been at loggerheads with the government and labor unions since.

Natalie Elphicke, the governing Conservative Party lawmaker who represents the Dover district, said the traffic disruption “is very serious” and “has become severe.” She expects the delays to continue for the next few days.