UK ports aim to lure more shipping

British ports could gain a competitive edge in tough shipping markets through post-Brexit exclusion from planned EU regulation of the sector, leading British port officials have said.

Last month’s vote to leave the EU means that British terminals are set to escape the proposed Ports Services Regulation that critics have said would hit UK ports unfairly because most are privately funded, while many of their European counterparts receive financing from local authorities.

The mooted EU-wide rules cover port services such as piloting but also include port charges and exemptions for state aid, which would add to cost pressure on UK operators while eroding their ability to control prices.