HARWICH International Port could be in line for a slice of a £200 million funding pot set up by the Government to prepare ports for the end of the Brexit transition period.

The fund has been set aside for ports to build new facilities, including potential new infrastructure.

The Government has said new infrastructure at ports will be needed whether or not the UK secures a negotiated agreement with the EU, given the UK is leaving the Customs Union and single market and new procedures will be coming into place.

The fund is targeted at those ports which have the space to build, allowing greater capacity to handle new customs requirements post-Brexit.

Felixstowe MP Therese Coffey has said it represents “good news” for Felixstowe and Harwich, stepping up their preparations ahead of 2021 when the transition period ends.

Harwich county councillor Ivan Henderson, who previously worked as a stevedore at Harwich’s port, said he hoped a bid would be made to increase lorry capacity to combat the risk of highway congestion.

He said: “I would hope they are putting a bid in for Harwich because of the roll on roll off aspect.

“Containers at Felixstowe can be stacked. Roll on roll off takes up more space and once the port facility is full that will spill onto the highway.

“I would be interested to see if there are going to be any provisions to make sure there are holding areas so we don’t suffer any delays on the roads.

“Also what resources are Essex County Council going to have to supply and what is Tendring Council going to have to supply on the issue of health authority stuff?”

Hutchinson, the company which owns Felixstowe and Harwich ports, said it was not in a position to provide details of any bid, but added it was unlikely there would be any implications for nearby roads.

The funding can be used for a range of vital port infrastructure – from warehouses and control posts to traffic management systems.

The deadline for applications is October 30, with successful bids announced shortly after.

From January 2021 traders importing standard goods, covering everything from clothes to electronics, will need to prepare for basic customs requirements, such as keeping sufficient records of imported goods, and will have up to six months to complete customs declarations.