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Traffic from lorry freight on ferries with British ports dropped 22 per cent last year due to new post-Brexit checks on EU-UK trade, a report from the Irish Maritime Development Office has found.

The Government agency that promotes Irish shipping services said that a combination of a rebound in demand in port traffic as Covid-19 restrictions were eased and new post-Brexit border controls led to a year of “significant change” in roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) lorry freight traffic.

Traffic on direct routes between Irish ports and mainland Europe rose 94 per cent last year, driven largely by reduced use of the “landbridge” route across Britain with continental Europe.

New border checks on trade between Ireland and Britain as Brexit came into effect led to “unprecedented increases” in ro-ro and container shipping volumes on direct routes with Europe.

The post-Brexit border controls on Irish-British trade through ports in the Republic led to the redirection of Northern Irish traffic from ports in the Republic to Belfast, Larne and Warrenpoint.

For further reading, The Irish Times has more in addition the report from the IMDO website can be downloaded here. 

Published in Ferry

About the TP52 Racing Yacht

The TP52 racing yacht is a remarkable example of cutting-edge technology in the world of competitive yachting. Measuring 52 feet (15.85 metres) in length, this vessel is constructed entirely from carbon fibre, making it an incredibly light and agile craft.

The TP52 features a 6.25-metre high rig, complete with a fractional asymmetrical spinnaker and a self-tacking jib. This design reduces the workload of the crew, allowing for more efficient manoeuvres and freeing up the crew to focus on the mainsheet upwind and on two-sail reaches.

The spinnaker rigging set-up, measuring 15.00 m2, presents a challenge to even the most experienced crews, requiring them to be fit and perfectly coordinated. Maneuvering the boat requires athleticism due to the vessel's lack of inherent stability and the high speed generated by the fully battened mainsail and jib.

The TP52's hull is constructed of fibreglass-reinforced polyester in a foam sandwich layout, resulting in a weight of just 74kg. The fully battened mainsail and jib are made from a transparent Mylar laminate with orange or red Dacron trimming, while the spinnaker is manufactured from ripstop Nylon.

The mast is made up of three parts, featuring an aluminium bottom and middle section, with a polyester-fibreglass composite tip to increase mast bend and decrease overall weight. The capsizing moment, which can be generated by a heavy mast tip, is also reduced through this design. The TP52's foils are constructed from either aluminium or fibreglass, depending on the specific requirements of the vessel.

Overall, the TP52 racing yacht is an exceptional example of the latest advancements in yacht design and technology. Its lightweight construction, advanced rigging, and high-speed capabilities make it a top contender in the world of competitive yachting, challenging even the most skilled and experienced crews.