While the UK officially exited the European Union on January 31, the impact of its departure has yet to fully manifest itself on either side of the English Channel.
This will all change on December 31 when the transition period ends and Brexit becomes a reality, and despite a last-minute trade deal giving both parties a Christmas present, January 1 2021 will mark the beginning of a new age.
For observers of the Brexit process, the last four years have been an endless purgatory of political brickmanship and negotiations with question marks on many issues still left unanswered.
For the major ports on Europe's western shores, however, the schism between the UK and the bloc has meant that meticulous planning for Britain's eventual departure has been underway since the EU referendum result in June 2016.