They comprise one worth £47 million with the French firm Brittany Ferries, a £47 million deal with the Danish shipping company DFDS and a £14 million contract with Seaborne Freight.
The leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat party, Vince Cable, called the move “complete madness” and said public money was being spent recklessly in a last-minute bid to prepare for a no-deal outcome.
The contracts were not put out to tender. The Department for Transport said it was responding to a “situation of extreme urgency” brought about by “unforeseeable events”.
About 16,000 trucks pass between Dover and Calais every day, transporting everything from perishable food to medicines and the industrial goods needed to keep factories running.
“This extra capacity is a small but important element of the DfT’s no-deal planning,” the Department for Transport said in a statement. “While remaining committed to working to ensure a deal is reached, the department is helping ensure the rest of government are fully prepared for a range of scenarios.”
Earlier this month, the government announced that all government departments must step up planning for a no-deal Brexit, including putting 3,500 armed forces personnel on standby to deal with any disruption.