In the first quarter of 2026, unitised traffic on the island of Ireland remained stable, according to the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO).
The data is from the IMDO’s Unitised Traffic Report for Q1 2026 with a summary as outlined below.
RoRo volumes in the Republic of Ireland increased by 2% year-on-year, whereas in Northern Ireland, RoRo throughput had declined by 2% to 222,837 units.
ROI–GB and ROI–EU RoRo volumes increased in the first quarter.
RoRo Traffic on ROI–GB routes increased by 4% year-on-year. In January 2025 the Port of Holyhead closed due to damage from Storm Darragh. As this key port remained closed for a period in January 2025, a more relevant comparison is with Q1 2024, where ROI-GB RoRo growth is flat (287,909 units vs 287,716 units).
LoLo traffic continued its upward trajectory in Q1 2026. ROI ports handled 310,692 TEU in Q1, a 1% increase relative to the same quarter last year. When viewed over a longer horizon, first quarter LoLo volumes have risen from approximately 284,000 TEU in Q1 2022 to almost 311,000 TEU in Q1 2026. This is the highest Q1 LoLo total recorded by the IMDO and reflects a consistent multi-year expansion rather than a sudden shift. In Northern Ireland, Belfast Port recorded robust LoLo growth of 7% (+3,595 TEU).
Passenger activity recovered in Q1 2026 from the disruption caused by the closure of the Port of Holyhead last year. RoRo passenger numbers increased by 9% in ROI ports, supported by strong numbers at Dublin Port. Compared with Q1 2024, ROI passenger volumes were 10% lower, a decline of approximately 35,000 passengers. Passenger vehicle volumes at Dublin were also notably higher, increasing by 88% year-on-year. As with passenger numbers, the Holyhead closure due to Storm Darragh weighed on Q1 2025 volumes, making the year-on-year comparison more pronounced.
The composition of the Irish freight market shifted in Q1 2026, as CLDN acquired Samskip’s quay-to-quay and door-to-door freight business between the Continent and UK & Ireland. The IMDO will continue to monitor the impact of such changes on schedules, freight volumes and services.
The wider economic environment continues to show signs of resilience. According to the Central Bank's latest Quarterly Bulletin2, Modified Domestic Demand is forecast to increase by 2.9% in 2026, reflecting underlying strength in household spending and domestic economic activity. This outlook is maintained despite elevated uncertainty stemming from the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East. Employment growth is expected to ease to below 2% per annum, while unemployment remains below 5%. CPI inflation is forecast to rise, driven by higher oil and gas prices linked to the war in Iran.
Taken together, Q1 2026 continues the pattern observed in recent years: a stable RoRo market operating within a narrow range and a steady upward trend in LoLo traffic driven by increased consumption in the Irish economy.
Passenger volumes remain robust in ROI ports, and the broader economic backdrop supports ongoing resilience in unitised activity. The IMDO will continue to assess these trends as part of its quarterly monitoring of Ireland’s maritime sector.
