Honda also suspended production for a few days in December as some major container ports, such as Felixstowe, struggled to cope with disruption caused by COVID-19, pre-Brexit stockpiling and Christmas.

The pandemic has upended normal trade flows, leaving stranded empty cargo containers in the wrong places, spawning bottlenecks around the world.

Output at Honda’s southern English factory in Swindon had resumed on Monday after the festive break.

“The situation is currently being monitored with a view to re-start production on Thursday 7 January,” the Japanese carmaker said in a statement.

Major automakers operate just-in-time manufacturing, meaning some parts arrive moments before they are fitted to vehicles.

Honda made just under 110,000 Civic cars in Britain in 2019 but is due to permanently close the site this year.