New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that Irish ports handled 12.7 million tonnes of goods in the first quarter of this year, a decrease of 2% compared with the first quarter of 2025.
The CSO said that goods forwarded from Irish ports amounted to almost 4 million tonnes in the first quarter, up slightly when compared on the same time last year – 3,983,000 from 3,977,000.
A 8.7 million tonnes of goods were received in the first three months of the year, a 3% drop on the same time last year – 8,712,000 compared to 8,951,000.
Today’s figures show that a total of 2,499 vessels arrived in Irish ports in the three months from January to March compared with 2,577 the same time last year.
Dublin Port accounted for 61% of vessel arrivals in Irish ports and for 49% of the total tonnage of goods handled in the first quarter, the CSO noted.
The CSO said that Great Britain & Northern Ireland accounted for 32% of the total tonnage of goods handled in the main ports by region of trade in the three month period under review.
EU countries accounted for 50% of the total tonnage of goods handled in the main ports, it added.
The eight main ports are Bantry Bay, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Rosslare, Shannon Foynes, Greenore and Waterford.
