Holyhead Port has partially reopened for ferry services to Ireland
The Port Health Service operates between 9am and 5pm on weekdays. The service is run by the council's Public Protection Department.
The Port Health Service undertakes:
- inspections and issuance of ship sanitation certificates
- portable water and legionella sampling on vessels at ports or commercial marinas on Anglesey
- clearance of medical declarations of health certification on arriving international vessels for free pratique
- infectious disease controls
- food safety on board vessels in port
- crew welfare on board vessels on port
- import controls on
- plastic material in contact with food
- organic produce
- food and feed products that require sanitary and phytosanitary border clearance
- clearance of arriving fishery products in line with illegal unreported unregulated fishing legislation
BTOM - SPS inspections through the Port of Holyhead 2024
Pre-notification requirement
It is a legal requirement, from 31 January 2024, for EU SPS crossing into Holyhead Port as imports into Great Britain (GB) or using the GB landbridge to submit pre-notification online through the DEFRA portal known as IPAFFS.
This requirement applies to low, medium and high, risk imports. This pre-notification must be carried out 24 hours in advance of arrival.
Northern Ireland exemption
An exemption applies to Qualifying Northern Ireland Goods which do not need to be prenotified.
This ruling applies to those indirect journey crossing from Northern Ireland (NI), through the Republic of Ireland (ROI)and onto Great Britain (GB) to ensure that NI goods have unfettered access to the GB market.
HMRC customs rules needs to be adhered to.
Risk categories
We urge all importers to understand the risk categorisation of the products they are moving and to correctly pre-notify.
Check import risk categories and related rules for animals and animal products imported from the EU to Great Britain, from 31 January 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
GB Export Health Certificate requirement
In addition, from 31 January 2024 there is a requirement requiring a GB Export Health Certificate to be submitted with medium and high risk IPAFFS notifications.
These new import changes apply to:
- live animals
- animal food products (POAO)
- high risk foods not of animal origin (HRFNAO)
- plant and plant products
Future inspections for Holyhead Port
The Port Health Service is continuing to work with Welsh Government to understand the commencement date of the future inspection regime for Holyhead Port.
- We can confirm that there are no Port Health SPS inspections for EU arriving traffic. Inspection fees are therefore not being charged. There is one exception, this is the movement of fish and fish products through Holyhead Port for Illegal Unreported Unregulated controls. These imports should be notified separately to the port health team through our online portal.
- We confirm that uncleared (within EU) Rest of World consignments must enter GB through another port if on a T2 import route. Such in transit product (uncleared in ROI from a ROW origin) must enter GB through a Port with a product specific approved BCP inspection facility. BCP, CP, and IC Locations for Plants – Google My Maps
- With reference to the proposed Common User Charge for Holyhead BCP, we await the results of the UK government’s consultation, and we will update this page when further guidance is published.
- With regard to the question of derogation to the IPAFFS 24hour prenotification requirement. We are unable to issue such derogations due to the pre-operational status of our facility. Such enquiries must be directed to import@apha.gov.uk
- We advise that Border Force and HMRC requirements are separate to our role.
Port Health Enquiries should be addressed to porthealth@anglesey.gov.wales
Further information
Welsh Government website
DEFRA webinars
Fish imports