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Ireland's Biggest Trade Surplus Last Year Was With the USA

15th December 2020
The Irish state’s biggest trading surplus was with the USA last year. AFLOAT adds above is Independent Container Line's (ICL) Independent Quest (3,100TEU) seen at the Port of Cork. This lo-lo vessel serving the direct route to the USA  on Sunday departed the Irish port's container terminal at Ringaskiddy and is currently bound for North America. The Irish state’s biggest trading surplus was with the USA last year. AFLOAT adds above is Independent Container Line's (ICL) Independent Quest (3,100TEU) seen at the Port of Cork. This lo-lo vessel serving the direct route to the USA on Sunday departed the Irish port's container terminal at Ringaskiddy and is currently bound for North America. Credit: Port of Cork-twitter

The Irish Republic exported €47 billion of goods, almost one-third of total exports, to the US in 2019, making it our largest single export market, according to a new report from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The State’s biggest trading surplus was also with the US, writes The Irish Times. The value of exports was over three times the value of imports, giving a trading surplus of almost €33 billion.

Medical and pharmaceutical products and organic chemicals comprised €32 billion or 68 per cent of the total exports to the US in 2019.

CSO statistician Ciarán Counihan said the State exported a total of €152 billion of goods and imported €91 billion during the year.

For further reading here including the Top Ten Trading partners in 2019

Published in Ports & Shipping
Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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