Ferry firm ICG reports solid returns for last year

Ferry and freight services company Irish Continental Group (ICG) has reported a solid set of figures for 2013, but has also noted a slight drop in business in the early part of this year, due to bad weather.

Total revenues for the group — which owns Irish Ferries — grew by 3.4% last year to €264.7m; with operating profit up by over 13% to €30m and pre-tax profit ahead by nearly €3m at €23.7m.

Regarding Irish Ferries, passenger numbers rose by 1.6% to nearly 1.57m, but car passengers fell by 0.8% to 351,000. On the freight side of the business, roll-on/roll-off freight levels were up by nearly 12%; with container freight volumes up by 10.4% to 279,000.