The Government has commissioned the famous Walberswick Ferry to fetch and carry container freight from Europe in the event of a post-Brexit import crisis.
The sturdy little vessel will be called into action to transport containers from Europe into the UK, helping to ease any log-jams at major ports caused by Brexit chaos.
More used to transferring holidaymakers and walkers over the River Blyth between Southwold and Walberswick in Suffolk, the ferry will be called upon to make repeated trips to France and Belgium.
The trips will be hard work for the ferryman or ferrywoman, who will have to row jolly hard to make it across the North Sea or
And it will be even harder on the return trip, with a container-load of insulin or fresh vegetables on board.
Lorraine Fisher, 34, from the British Brexit Department said: “It’s sensible to make contingency plans should goods be held up at busy ports like Dover.
“We’ve already started trials with Seaborne Freight for goods to come through Ramsgate, so this is just an additional measure.”
However, Suffolk Tourist Authority fears the deal will mean the ferry is often unavailable to holidaymakers during the height of the summer season.
A spokesman said: “The poor woman who runs the ferry uses all her skill and strength to row the few yards over the River Blythe, so goodness how tough it will be for her to get back from France with a container.
“Surely the Government could find more appropriate transport solutions?
“It will be rather dangerous for people to try to swim across the Blyth – potentially an unexpected victim of Brexit in the making.”
