Record Freight at Belfast Harbour As Volumes in RoI traffic Shifts North

7th February 2022

Belfast Harbour said around 50,000 more freight vehicles passed through the port in 2021 compared to the previous record year of 2019. It's unclear how many vehicles are northern hauliers who have abandoned the Dublin crossing, or whether it represents a significant re-routing of British shipments to the Republic via Belfast. Credit: The Irish News-twitter

A record breaking Belfast Harbour handled 25.6 million tonnes of cargo during 2021 as freight traffic switched north to avoid new post-Brexit checks between Britain and the Republic, new figures suggest.

Harbour Commissioners have released early trading data showing an extra 50,000 freight vehicles passed through the port last year when compared to the previous record breaking year of 2019, when 543,000 vehicles were recorded.

Traffic had dipped 2.6 per cent in 2020 following the outbreak of Covid-19, with 529,000 freight vehicles counted at the harbour.

But with more stringent checks on the traditionally popular Dublin to Holyhead crossings introduced in 2021, traffic at Belfast Harbour jumped 12 per cent on 2020, with close to 600,000 freight vehicles recorded.

It’s unclear how many vehicles are northern hauliers who have abandoned the Dublin crossing, or whether it represents a significant re-routing of British shipments to the Republic via Belfast.

The Irish News has more on this story.

Published in Belfast Lough

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Record figures

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

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