Dublin Port Sees Growth in Trade to Europe as U.K. Volumes Drop

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Trade passing from Dublin Port to continental Europe has increased since Brexit while business with ports in Britain has slumped, according to the Irish port operator.

Services to continental European ports rose 40% in the second quarter compared to a decline of 19% in services with ports in Britain, Dublin Port Company said in a statement.

“The effects of Brexit on the pattern of trade through Dublin Port are now becoming clearer,” Chief Executive, Eamonn O’Reilly said. Unitised volumes are now split equally between ports in Britain and those in continental Europe, where as Britain accounted for almost two-thirds before Brexit.

After plummeting in the first quarter, volumes recovered in the second, rising about 13%. Even so, volumes for the first half of the year are down 2.1% compared with 2020.

“With long-term growth trends beginning to re-emerge, we anticipate a return to record levels of throughput by 2023,” O’Reilly said. There are also plans to provide additional port capacity, he added.

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