Tag: Port of Dublin | Ferry Shipping News

Nov 04

Brexit impacts on Dublin Port clear to be seen after nine months

Port of Dublin says in its Q3 report that core freight and container volumes from Britain declined by 21.2% to 537,680 units between January and September this year (Holyhead, Liverpool and Heysham).
In contrast, volumes on continental European, direct routes increased by 36% to 522,765 units. (Mainly Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Antwerp and Cherbourg).
Containers and trailers in the RoRo and LoLo modes – the largest part of Dublin Port’s business – declined by just -0.5% to 1,060,445 units but with very different trends between the two modes:

RoRo -6.6% (707,212 units)

LoLo +14.4% (353,233 units)

Behind the different trends in Ro-Ro and Lo-Lo, there has also been a large and consistent change in the geographical mix of Dublin Port’s trade since the introduction of Brexit border controls in January 2021.
As a result, unitised volumes on routes to Great Britain now account for just over one half (51%) of all unitised trade where, before Brexit, they accounted for approaching two-thirds (64%).
Allied to this, the proportion of RoRo units which are driver accompanied (181,605 after nine months) has fallen from 32% to 26%.
Dublin currently has two shipping lines looking to commence services. They cannot be accommodated. Dublin has a short-term and a long-term plan.

Apr 22

Port Of Dublin Feels The Effect Of Brexit

Commenting on the Q1 2021 figures, Dublin Port’s Chief Executive, Eamonn O’Reilly, said:

Brexit was the main cause of a very weak Q1 with overall cargo volumes back by 15.2% However, it is too early yet to say what the long-term effects of Brexit will be.
Optimism: landbridge will re-establish itself as a fast and cost-effective option for the movement of time sensitive goods to and from Continental Europe in the months ahead. (with P&O and Irish Ferries both on Irish Sea and Calais-Dover).
Worries: “Back in 1990, before the Single European Market was established, more than a third of Ro-Ro trade chose services to and from Northern Irish ports rather than use services in and out of Dublin Port. We won’t get a proper sense until later in the year as to how much of the 29% decline we have seen in GB RoRo trade is due to the new border regimes and whether this dislocation will be a permanent feature for the years ahead or not.”
Positive: +18% in Ro-Ro and Lo-Lo volumes on direct services with Continental Europe. the capacity needed for the changes in demand patterns which Brexit has caused.
Conclusion: “If we do see a sustained step change downwards in volumes on routes to GB because of Brexit, I expect that the pivoting of trade from GB to Continental Europe will, in time, re-establish the long-term growth trends we have seen in Dublin Port for many decades.”