TRADE in breeding sheep between Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been struck another blow by the turmoil at P&O Ferries.

The longstanding back and forth relationship between sheep breeders in Scotland and the North of England with their counterparts in Northern Ireland has been in peril since the UK's exit deal with the European Union introduced the Northern Ireland Protocol, effectively introducing an EU border in the Irish Sea.

Hopes of a common sense solution to the obstacles this created for the livestock trade have since waxed and waned with the political tides – but there can be little doubt that the crisis now gripping the biggest operator of ferry services in the UK will not help.

The National Sheep Association has expressed serious concern over the announcement from P&O Ferries that it is making 'serious operational changes' as of today, Thursday, March 18.

The company, which was bought by Dubai-based logistics giant DP World in 2019 for a reported £322 million, is responsible for most overseas movement of animals and goods between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, and is also the biggest shipper of breeding sheep from Great Britain to Europe. Those owners have now said that there will be no future for the business unless there is significant change to the way it operates.

In the short term, the NSA fears that this could create serious disruption to the movement of sheep and goods, and further delay any solutions to the absence of any live breeding animal trade across the English Channel.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: “NSA recognises that P&O supports many industries, and the public too, but for a long time, the company has been the mainstay of shipping live breeding sheep between Britain and Europe, and between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Read more: New scrapie deal should ease sheep trade across the Irish Sea

“Brexit brought new controls for moving live animals into Europe and the fact there is no Border Control Post with live animal facilities on the other side of the channel means British breeders have not been able to sustain what was a long standing and important trade for valuable UK livestock genetics. Negotiations are ongoing about establishing such a facility but today’s news from P&O is likely to create further uncertainty and delays.

“The Northern Ireland protocols have allowed the continued movement of animals between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but have imposed serious extra controls resulting in many sheep farmers in Northern Ireland feeling ‘cast adrift’. It is not clear from the P&O statement what might happen immediately but this disruption will do nothing to allow farmers in Northern Ireland to integrate with the wider UK industry," said Mr Stocker.

“We await further details and hope that solutions can be found to prevent any immediate or short term disruption, and to provide confidence for plans for a live animal BCP to progress in time for this years breeding sales this summer.”