In Q4 2023, unitised traffic at ports on the island of Ireland displayed resilience amid challenging economic conditions. RoRo traffic in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) declined by 2% to 289,971 units, marking the first sub-290,000 performance in five years, primarily due to the cessation of the P&O Dublin-Liverpool service. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's RoRo volumes grew by 4% to 222,740 units, with overall island-wide RoRo traffic rising 1% year-on-year to 512,711 units. Dublin Port saw a 5% decline, while Rosslare Europort grew 12%, driven by a shift toward direct ROI-EU routes post-Brexit. LoLo traffic at ROI ports rebounded with a 5% increase to 278,850 TEUs, reversing a year of steep declines. Despite stagnation in overall unitised traffic amid inflation, rising interest rates, and global economic pressures, the sector retained much of the gains from the COVID-19 trade surge, highlighting its underlying resilience.

In Q3 2023, Irish ports experienced a 2% decline in RoRo traffic, totaling 291,879 units, with decreases seen across all three major ports—Dublin, Cork, and Rosslare—attributed to seasonal trends and a challenging economic environment. Similarly, the LoLo sector saw a 6% drop to 277,600 TEUs, marking the lowest Q3 performance of the post-Brexit era, with volumes remaining below long-term trends. Northern Ireland's ports performed better, with RoRo traffic rising 3% and LoLo traffic remaining steady. The primary drivers of these declines include high inflation, rising interest rates, and geopolitical uncertainty, which have suppressed demand for goods transported via the unitized shipping sector. While global economic growth is slowing, resilient domestic demand in Ireland offers hope for recovery in 2024, supported by projections of over 2% growth in key indicators such as GDP and consumption. Despite the challenges, Irish ports have maintained stability and avoided sharp declines in traffic.

n the first half of 2023, Irish ports experienced significant declines in Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) and Lift-on/Lift-off (LoLo) freight volumes due to inflationary pressures. RoRo volumes fell by 3%, or 20,000 units, while LoLo volumes dropped by 9%, equating to 55,000 TEUs. Inflation, driven by rising energy costs since early 2022, increased transportation and goods costs, suppressing trade across most routes. RoRo traffic decreased in four of the last five quarters, with Rosslare-Europort as the sole port showing growth, thanks to a shift in services to Rosslare. Brexit's impact remains evident, with direct RoRo traffic to the EU consistently higher than pre-Brexit levels. LoLo traffic also saw declines, mirroring global trends in container trade. Despite this, easing inflation, robust domestic growth, and low unemployment signal potential recovery. Resilience in the Irish maritime sector, demonstrated during Brexit and COVID-19, offers optimism for overcoming these economic challenges.