Trade Hub
Dublin Port is where Ireland meets the world. This hub gives you a front-row seat to the flow of goods in and out of the country, through data and stories that bring trade to life.
Vessels Departing Today
LATEST NEWS
Dublin Port Spotlights Ireland’s Exporters
Dublin Port Spotlights Ireland’s Exporters
Why Trade Matters
Trade is vital to every day Irish Life. From our supermarkets, car dealerships, and clothing shops to agriculture, advanced manufacturing and medical supplies – trade underpins almost everything in our economy.
Dublin Port is Ireland’s largest freight and passenger port, with over €165bn worth of trade going through the port each year. Irish exporters get their goods to market and vital imports make their way to shelves, farms and factories through our wharves.
Ireland’s trading footprint, at a glance
Ireland is a trading nation, our economy depends on the constant, seamless movement of goods across sea routes. This hub shows how trade really works: where it comes from, what’s moving and why Dublin Port plays a central role in keeping shelves stocked, supply chains running and businesses connected.
The routes that keep Ireland connected
Behind every shipment is a trade corridor connecting Ireland to the wider world. These are our busiest routes:
Holyhead
The Irish Sea Artery
The shortest route, but one of the most significant. These crossings support considerable daily RoRo ferry traffic, carrying everything from supermarket stock, FMCGs, tourists, livestock and constructions supplies.
Frequency:
8 daily ferry crossings and seasonal fast craft offering the fastest crossing of the Irish Sea
Freight Carried:
Perishable food goods, consumer and retail stock, industrial materials, livestock, tourists and passengers.
Liverpool
A Critical UK Connection
One of our key regional hubs, Liverpool enjoys close ties with Dublin Port. Daily RoRo and LoLo sailings connect one of the UK’s busiest ports with Ireland. It is a key logistics node for heavy freight, including food imports, consumer goods, and industrial machinery.
Frequency:
Multiple daily sailings RoRo and LoLo sailings
Freight Carried:
Consumer goods, foodstuffs, industrial machinery, vehicle imports
Zeebrugge
Key European Interlocutor
Zeebrugge is our busiest European Port, handling a mixture of LoLo container freight and RoRo traffic. Irish exports head to mainland Europe through this hub – one of the most important logistics nodes in Northern Europe.
Frequency:
Multiple daily sailings RoRo and LoLo sailings
Freight Carried:
Exports for European markets, vehicle imports, consumer goods, heavy industrial equipment
Rotterdam
The Global Superhub
Our Rotterdam sailings carry the majority of Ireland’s high value exports. Everything from pharmaceuticals, robotics, computer chips, and cosmetics head from Dublin Port to global markets via Rotterdam. From there, goods are transhipped to destinations around the world.
Frequency:
Daily LoLo, RoRo, and Bulk liquid sailings
Freight Carried:
High value exports, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, computer chips, robotics, heavy industrial equipment
Antwerp
Historical trade hub
The Port of Antwerp is another key link into Northern Europe for containerised traffic. High end exports for European and North American markets head to Antwerp weekly. Imports from this port include primary manufacturing inputs, petrochemicals, and consumer goods.
Frequency:
Multiple weekly sailings
Freight Carried:
Manufacturing inputs, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods
Bilbao and Santander
Southern Europe’s Interconnectors
Spanish ports offer access to bulk markets including animal feed and cement. These core bulk markets are supplemented by growing RoRo traffic as well, bringing goods from southern Europe to Ireland and give Irish exporters better access to Spanish and Portuguese markets.
Frequency:
Multiple weekly sailings
Freight Carried:
Animal feed, cement, RoRo traffic, consumer goods
Montreal and associated Canada-Atlantic Ports
Gateway to North America
Canadian ports are a major source of animal feed, grain, and agricultural equipment for Ireland. Ports along the St Lawrence river are a leading source of feed and grain for agricultural uses throughout Ireland.
Frequency:
Weekly
Freight Carried:
Dry bulk solids, agricultural machinery
Cherbourg
The French Connection
Cherbourg is one of Northern France’s major trade hubs, one of considerable historical and industrial significance. RoRo traffic to Cherbourg goes on both specialist freight services and regular passenger ferry crossings. France is a major export destination for Ireland as well as a very popular place for a holiday.
Frequency
Daily RoRo freight and RoPax Ferry sailings
Freight
Ferry passengers, consumer goods, heavy machinery
