Dublin Port volumes down by 15% in Q1 2021
Dublin Port Company has today reported trading figures for the first quarter of 2021, according to the company's release.
Following a strong final quarter in 2020 (when volumes grew by +7.8% in the run-up to Brexit), there was a ‑15.2% decline to 7.8 million gross tonnes in Dublin Port’s volumes for the first three months of 2021 compared to same period in 2020.
Imports from January to March fell by ‑14.4% to 4.7 million gross tonnes and exports declined by ‑16.6% to 3.1 million gross tonnes.
Unitised trade (Ro-Ro and Lo-Lo) accounted for 82% of all cargo volumes in the quarter and the number of trailers and containers combined fell by ‑11.7% to 318,000 units. Within this, there was a very large decline of ‑20.1% in Ro‑Ro to 204,000 units. This was partly offset by an increase in Lo‑Lo of 9.0% to 114,000 units (equivalent to 206,000 TEU).
While overall Ro-Ro volumes were down by ‑20.1% to 204,000 units, trends were very different on Irish Sea routes to GB compared to direct routes to Continental Europe:
Ro-Ro to and from ports in France, Belgium and the Netherlands increased by +25.5% to 52,000 units.
Ro-Ro to and from GB ports fell by ‑29.0% to 152,000 units.
For the 318,000 units of Ro-Ro and Lo-Lo combined, volumes are now split 50 / 50 between ports in GB and ports in Continental Europe and beyond:
Unitised trade with GB ports declined by ‑29.2% to 160,000 units
Trade with ports in the EU (and elsewhere) increased by +17.9% to 158,000 units.
Elsewhere in Dublin Port’s unitised trade, imports of new trade vehicles declined by ‑12.6% to 27,000 units.
Due to continuing reduced transport demand in the economy, Bulk Liquid imports of petroleum products were back by ‑23.4% to 0.9 million tonnes.
Bulk Solids (including agri‑feed products, ore concentrates and cement products) finished the quarter +9.9% ahead at 0.5m tonnes.
Outside of the cargo side of Dublin Port’s business, the pandemic continued to supress passenger and tourism volumes. Passenger numbers on ferries (including HGV drivers) declined by ‑63.2% to 83,000 while tourist vehicles declined by ‑74.3% to 17,000.
