On 3 March 1997, Dublin Port Company was corporatised and since then has been statutorily responsible under the Harbours Act, 1996, for the management, control, direction and development of the harbour as a commercial State company. Freeing up the port from direct State control gave it the commercial freedom needed to operate as a modern, customer oriented service industry, while enhancing accountability for operation and financial performance.
Dublin Port is a multi-modal port catering for all cargo modes, as well as for passengers. In terms of capacity, Dublin port had a record throughput in 1999 of 15 million tonnes (net), which was an increase of 15% on the 1998 figure.