Port of Cork welcomes second weekly cargo ship to Belgium

A second weekly call from Cork to Zeebrugge, Belgium has been welcomed by the Port of Cork.

The additional CLdN voyage has been added to meet increased demand.

Adding a second call is thought to offer CLdN customers a quicker turnaround, as well as bypassing the UK land bridge and avoiding unnecessary border checks, ensuring cargo flows more effectively and in a cost-efficient manner from Ireland direct to the continent.

The Cork to Zeebrugge Ro-Con service which started in May has been very popular with Port of Cork customers.

Port of Cork Chief Commercial Officer Conor Mowlds said: ‘This is very exciting news for Cork and indeed importers and exporters utilising the current service. Added frequency offers flexibility and with more and more cargo looking to avoid the UK land bridge, this second Cork to Zeebrugge service is another step forward in ensuring supply chains are maintained."

He continued: "In these extraordinary times a second direct Ro-Con freight link with Europe from Cork, Ireland’s primary southern gateway reinforces our commitment to supporting businesses in the region and preparing for any eventuality Brexit may bring."

A spokesperson from CLdN stated: "As we have shown and continue to deliver, we will deploy larger vessels or add more frequency to match demand to and from Ireland and will react immediately the market signals a requirement, as we see the Irish market as a core route in our portfolio."