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Brexit Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 February 2019

Tuesday, 12 February 2019

Ceisteanna (668)

Lisa Chambers

Ceist:

668. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has assessed the capacity of Irish ships to take additional freight, both load on and load off and roll-on roll-off; if so, the details of this assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7123/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Department has assessed the maritime capacity for direct sailings between Ireland and continental EU ports as a potential alternative route for trade currently using the Landbridge. Based on consultations with the shipping sector and wider, the preliminary assessment is that sufficient capacity will be available on direct routes to continental ports from end March 2019.

I briefed Government on this in January 2019 and indicated that I will keep the matter under review, in light of the evolving situation, and revert to Government with a further report before the end of February.

There are four shipping lines operating direct services from Irish ports to the Continent offering up to 20 crossings per week. Over 20 shipping operators provide scheduled shipping services from Ireland. This includes four companies providing year round scheduled passenger services between Ireland and the UK and France.

Shipping services are market driven and ferry operators have in the past responded to economic developments and increased or decreased capacity in response to these developments.

There have already been responses from the shipping Companies. CLdN launched a new 234m Ro-Ro freight ferry, the M.V. Celine, with a capacity of 8,000 lane metres on the Rotterdam-Zeebrugge-Dublin route in October 2017. The Port of Cork saw the addition of a new route in May 2018 with Brittany Ferries’ commencing the service to Santander and Roscoff with the Connemara, whose capacity is 27,414 GT. The deployment of the Irish Ferries ferry, W B Yeats, on the Dublin-Cherbourg route will add significant capacity to this route. The Company has also ordered a second larger ship for delivery in 2020 which will further increase its freight capacity.

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