In Q3 2024, Ireland's unitised traffic market displayed divergent trends between the Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) and Lift-on/Lift-off (LoLo) sectors. RoRo volumes declined by 1% year-on-year, with minimal fluctuations and stability in post-Brexit trade between Ireland, the UK, and the EU. Rosslare-Europort was the only port to record growth, while Dublin saw a slight decline due to reduced EU-bound traffic. Conversely, the LoLo sector experienced significant growth, with volumes up 15% in Q3 and 10% year-to-date, setting new records and recovering from a challenging 2023. This surge is attributed to eased inflation, strong domestic demand, and a shift from RoRo to LoLo at Dublin Port. Overall, Irish unitised traffic in 2024 is stable, slightly surpassing 2023 levels and showing resilience amid economic shifts.

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.