Subdued demand, higher fuel costs and a labour dispute adversely affected earnings at ferry and freight operator Irish Continental Group.
The parent company of Irish Ferries said passenger traffic was down 8 per cent to 691,000 and car tourism also declined from 174,000 in 2003 to 165,000 in the first half of 2004.
Though the first half of the year is traditionally quieter that the second for ferry companies, earnings per share were 5.1 cent compared with 5.3 cent in the corresponding period in 2003.
Turnover for the half year was €135.8 million down from €136.9 million in 2003.
ICG's chairman, Mr John McGuckian, said the industrial problems that plagued the company early in the year had now been resolved and based on summer trading the group remained "cautiously optimistic" on the outlook for the year as a whole.
ICG said the peak tourist season has been encouraging with car volumes up 3.5 per cent since July. Freight volumes are also up in the second half to date by about 5 per cent.
