Over 70% of goods being imported through Dublin Port from suppliers in Britain are given the “green light” by customs officials on arrival and can exit the port immediately.

Speaking at a multi-agency briefing on the new trading relationship between the EU and UK, Tom Talbot, head of customs operations for Revenue at Dublin Port, said that businesses are adapting to the new customs requirements for importing goods from the UK.

In the last week, Talbot said the percentage of trucks given the green light upon arrival from the UK had risen from 45% in the first week of January to over 70% this week.

Talbot said the main issues were incomplete or inaccurate documentation on the cargo

However, Talbot did acknowledge that trade volumes through the port were very low for this time of the year.

Of the 30% of trucks that are being held up by customs at the port, Talbot said the main issues were incomplete or inaccurate documentation on the cargo.

He said trucks can only be released from the port when all the correct documentation is in place.

Although it’s still early days in the new trading regime between the EU and the UK, Talbot said it was obvious there was a stark difference between the businesses that had put in some form of preparation for Brexit and the companies who have done nothing to prepare for it.