Ivan Yates
Question:70 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for the Marine if he will outline the international situation in relation to liner conference services currently operating and Ireland's linkage with same.
Written Answers. - Liner Conference Services.
Liner conferences provide scheduled deep sea shipping services on long haul routes worldwide. The cargoes carried are mainly containerised and the average capacity of the vessels deployed on these services would be of the order of 2000 — 3000 TEU, 20 foot equivalent units. The containers carried on articulated trucks are normally 40 ft. in length, e.g. equivalent to two TEUs.
Following the development in the early to mid-seventies of large capacity container ships the number of ports of call was reduced for reasons of economy. Since then Irish exports/imports to and from these destinations are transhipped via conference base ports such as Liverpool, London or Rotterdam.
This should be seen in the context of the overall pattern of Irish trade. During 1989 for example more than 70 per cent by value, of Irish trade, imports and exports, was with the EC. High volume imports such as grain, coal, ore and animal feedstuffs are carried in large drybulk vessels which mainly operate outside the liner conference system.