There were signs of recovery at Dublin Port in the first quarter of the year, with a rise of 23.5 per cent in exports in March, the company said today.
Dublin Port Company said there was a pattern of incremental increased trading activity int he first three months of the year, with both exports and imports showing a rise.
Throughput at the port rose by 7.9 per cent over the three-month period to 6.8 million tonnes, with exports rising 14.6 per cent and imports 3.8 per cent higher than the same period last year.
"Following a very tough 18 months for the Irish economy, Dublin Port Company is pleased to be in a position to report increased positive trading levels at Ireland's largest and busiest port for the first quarter of this year," said chief executive Enda Connellan.
"It's very encouraging at this stage in the year to see that trade has moved beyond a stabilisation
phase first experienced this time last year to one of growth for four consecutive months. As a gateway to European and international markets, it's essential that we continue to facilitate the movement of
goods as efficiently and competitively as possible in order to support the country's return to economic growth.
In March, there was a total rise of 13.5 per cent in total throughput compared to the same month a year earlier. Exports rose significantly, increasing to more than 1 million tonnes, while imports rose 7.3 per cent to 1.5 million tonnes.
Unitised trade was up 15.9 per cent in March, and 10.9 per cent for the year to date. This sector accounts for almost 80 per cent of the port's throughput.
