Letter: Letter: Northern Ireland has so much to gain from the North Channel tunnel

While in the lounge of Reykjavik airport I had the privilege of talking to a senior official of Maersk America.

He made the point that such a venture would make the Belfast port highly strategic as by dint of rail the port would be linked to United Kingdom mainland and in turn to European Union mainland via Channel Tunnel.

A more competitive edge and more jobs in the United Kingdom logistics sector as the Belfast port would become a potential rival to the likes of Hamburg and Rotterdam in the context of transatlantic trade.

May I add that a tunnel would also enable the Irish Republic to truck its goods to Belfast for direct rail transit to the European Union mainland, as well as make the United Kingdom’s internal market a speedier place with particular reference to food and perishable goods moving between likes of Dorset and Derry.

A perfect win win - and an opportunity to iron out the creases in the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The environment would also win with more transfer of freight from road to rail.

John Barstow, Pulborough, West Sussex