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Dublin port on the growth track again

[ October 12, 2020   //   ]

Dublin Port Company reported an increase in overall tonnage of 1.2% for the third quarter of 2020, but for the first nine months of the year volume was down by 6.9% compared to the same period last year.

Having seen a decline of 4.8% in the first quarter of 2020 (attributed to traffic returning to normal after Brexit stockpiling in the first quarter of 2019), there was a further and steeper 17% decline in the second quarter of 2020 due to Covid. But since then, monthly trade volumes have been comparatively strong, culminating in export-led growth of 1.2% in the third quarter from July to September. Exports for the three months grew by 6.6%, more than offsetting the -2.4% decline in imports.

Unitised trade (trailers and containers) grew by 3.1% to 384,000 units during the third quarter, with ro ro up 4.1% to 276,000 units and lo lo by 0.2% to 192,000teu.

Imports of new trade vehicles through Dublin Port decreased marginally by -0.6% to 12,400 units. For the nine months to September, 53,000 new trade vehicles have been imported through Dublin Port, a decline of -29.3% compared to last year.

Bulk liquid volumes, primarily petroleum products, declined by -20.4% and bulk solid commodities (including animal feed, ore concentrates from Tara Mines, bulk cement products and scrap metals) grew by 56.0%.

Ferry passenger numbers (including truck drivers) decreased by 66.2% to 264,000 and there were no cruise ship calls –  and none are anticipated for the remainder of the year.

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