Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) has introduced two new services between Dublin Port and Ballina, Co. Mayo, to meet the ever-growing demand for rail freight.
As part of the company’s ambitious Rail Freight strategy, the service is to be operated by IWT (International Warehousing and Transport), which involves two additional services using 12 new refurbished pocket wagons.
Iarnród Éireann, which owns the pocket wagons, or Low Floor Container Wagons, have been extensively refurbished to create additional capacity on the network. The development has allowed Iarnród Éireann to pursue purchasing a new fleet of wagons to meet future demand for rail freight services as part of its future strategy.
The additional services bring the number of services operated by IWT between Dublin Port and Ballina to seven. They offer a frequent, sustainable logistics option for companies moving goods from Dublin Port to the west of Ireland. Each 12-wagon train takes 24 trucks off the road, easing congestion, reducing CO2 emissions, and addressing the shortage of HGV drivers that the Irish haulage industry currently experiences.
Iarnród Éireann's rail freight strategy will see a significant increase in rail freight services. The strategy encompasses further rail connectivity at Ireland’s key ports, the development of new strategic inland hubs, purchasing additional fleet, and re-opening certain rail lines as part of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review.
This will commence with the introduction of new freight services from 2026 on the Shannon Foynes line, which will offer rail freight services to a myriad of new customers.