Ferry firm Stena Line has cancelled a dozen sailings between Britain and Ireland in the coming days due to a post-Brexit downturn in freight traffic and tough new Covid-19 restrictions, a spokesman said Friday.

From Friday until Tuesday, eight services have been cut between Fishguard in west Wales and Ireland's southeast port of Rosslare.

A further four have been scrubbed between Holyhead in northwest Wales and Dublin.

Irish Sea trade director Paul Grant said sailings are being reviewed as a result of coronavirus travel restrictions in the Republic and "the decline in freight volumes during the first week of Brexit".

"Problems in the supply chain have resulted in a significant fall off in freight volumes this week at our Holyhead and Fishguard ports," he added.

Stena line services linking Britain and Ireland rely on "a freight and passenger combination", Grant said in a statement.

"To have the two parts severely restricted at the same time is putting severe pressure on our ability to maintain our normal levels of frequency on certain routes."

Britain left the European Union in January last year, entering a stand-still transition period which expired on December 31.

Although London and Brussels agreed a deal to smooth tariff- and quota-free trade, new customs and regulatory checks are now required on freight crossing UK-EU borders.

Ireland's transport ministry said post-Brexit traffic at Dublin Port was quiet and there was evidence firms had stockpiled ahead of the festive period, anticipating issues with the new checks.

Irish Revenue said Friday that over the first week of the changes it was apparent many importers "significantly underestimated what was involved in being Brexit-ready".

In a notice to freight importers, the agency said it would grant "a temporary easement" of some paperwork.

"Revenue has put in place temporary facilitation measures... that will help business to meet their obligations and get their goods moving," a spokeswoman said.

Since December 20, Ireland has also enacted tough Covid-19 restrictions barring most incoming travellers from Britain.

The ban is due to be lifted on Saturday but those arriving thereafter will be required to produce a negative coronavirus test done in the last 72 hours.

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