Irish to save on ferry fares
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by Patric Cunnane • Hauliers in the Irish Republic will get a cheaper doorway into Europe next year with a number of new ferry services from Dublin to the UK.
RO-RO operator Merchant Ferries plans to have a service running by Easter from a terminal being built at Dublin port, but it has not yet announced the UK destination.
Its sister company, Coastal Containers, has increased its container service into Liverpool to daily sailings. It has also launched a service to Cardiff with two sailings a week; frequency is expected to rise to four a week within six months.
From 7 November P&O subsidiary Pandoro will be running up to 21 sailings a week into Liverpool with a faster, larger ship which has 110 spaces as opposed to the present 90.
Many hauliers in the Republic avoid using Dublin's port because of its high charges, preferring to cross into the UK from Larne, north of Belfast, even though the journey there may take longer. New ferry services are expected to bring Dublin's port charges more into line with its competitor in the North.
Jerry McMahon, executive member of the NorthEast region of the Irish Road Haulage Association, says: "The routes to the UK from Dublin can be as much as 130% more expensive than sailing from the North."
One operator planning to take advantage of the new opportunities in the South is 100-vehicle operator Woodside Haulage, based in Ballynure, north of Belfast. In January it is opening a depot on a threeacre greenfield site in Dublin Port on reclaimed land leased from the Docks Board. General manager Jim McCrossan says: "We have a strong customer base in the South which is growing for all types of business."
CMwill be reviewing the haulage industry in Northern Ireland issue (27 October).