Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any contingency plans to divert shipping to alternative ports should major ports in Europe be made unusable for whatever reason.

The ports and shipping sector is a flexible, dynamic and commercial sector that will take operational decisions on diversion and re-routeing of vessels in the event of disruption. Such decisions will be made with regard to the capability and capacity of vessels and of alternative ports, and to other factors such as delay, cost or convenience for the users of their services. This flexibility has been demonstrated repeatedly over the last few years throughout the pandemic and other occurrences, for example regular diversion of vessels, or changed service plans, to avoid container freight congestion at European ports, delays from industrial action, or weather conditions.

Some shipping routes, potentially with bespoke infrastructure and vessels, are less flexible in nature, but the competitive UK ports and shipping sector offers a varied choice of routes for freight and passengers. On this basis, the Government does not ordinarily plan to intervene in the operational and commercial decision-making of shippers, port, or ship-operators.