Lorries and cruise ships boost port traffic

DUBLIN Port has reported a mixed performance for the third quarter of the year with a growth in container and cruise ship business, but a drop in car and foot passenger levels.

Ferry passenger numbers were down for the three-month period from July to September by 10.1% at 421,229, compared with the same period last year.

Tourist car numbers dropped, year-on-year, for the period by 20.9% to just over 85,000. The reduction in ferry tourism numbers was attributed to increased competition from low-fares airlines.

The number of trade cars — or car deliveries for sale at car showrooms — coming through the port during the quarter was also down by 9.2% to 18,519. That decrease was in line with national car registrations, which fell by 7.8% year-on-year for the third quarter.

However, there was better news on the roll-on roll-off big lorry custom transporting consumer goods. This area accounts for three-quarters of Dublin Port’s total annual throughput and ro-ro freight business was up by 11.9% on the same period last year to 177,479 units. The lift-on/lift-off business — or basically container business — was also up year-on-year by 21.2%.

The port hosted 75 cruise liners this year — amounting to its most successful cruise season to date; with around 65,000 high-spend passengers and 28,000 crew members passing through the port.

A recent report on the economic contribution of the cruise sector to Ireland — published by UCC in 2004 and commissioned by Cruise Ireland — highlighted that cruise liners arriving at Irish ports contributed €65.9m to the economy in 2003 in the direct and indirect purchase of goods and services. Around 46% of that spend was via Dublin Port.