Strong start to year as revenue up 7% at Irish Continental Group

Ferries and freight business Irish Continental Group (ICG) has reported a strong start to the year, with revenues up by over 7% for the first four months of the year, on an annualised basis.

The group owns the Irish Ferries and Eucon brands. It said in a trading update that revenue for the four months to the end of April amounted to €85.1m, 7.3% ahead of the same period last year.

Pre-tax earnings jumped from €3.3m to €10.3m and operating profits nearly doubled to €4.4m. Up to May 9, Irish Ferries carried 94,800 cars, a rise of 8% on the previous year. Total passenger volumes increased by 3%, compared to the previous year, to 418,600.