Ports show return to growth

THE Irish ports and shipping sector experienced a return to growth last year after a record collapse of shipping volumes in 2009.

According to the latest edition of the Irish Maritime Transport Economist by the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO), most principle segments of the shipping and port sector showed signs of recovery.

The report states that unitised traffic on the main Roll-on/Roll-off routes to Britain recovered by 4% in 2010, with a decline in the Lift-on/Lift-off container sector easing substantially to a fall of just 3%.