New charges at Dublin Port could affect food and fuel costs, hauliers say

Ottoline Spearman

New charges at Dublin Port could drive up the cost of food, fuel and construction materials, according to the Irish Road Hauliers Association.

New tariffs will include a five per cent increase in the price of a container and €15 infrastructure charge.

In total, Dublin Port Company said that the overall costs per container in 2026 will rise by €16.83, or 46 per cent, to a new total of €53.33.

The Central Statistics Office estimates that the average shipping container coming through the port contains €100,000 worth of goods.

The Irish Road Hauliers Association has said that these charges could lead to higher supermarket prices.

Ger Hyland, President of the association, said on Newstalk that it is an act of self-sabotage on Irish trade interests. "We fought hard with Trump and America to stop 15 per cent tariffs coming on Irish goods. And here we have Dublin Port introducing tariffs on top of the country as well."

Up to €165 billion of trade flows through Dublin Port each year, and the port handles 80 per cent of all containerised freight that comes into Ireland.

Dublin Port Company said the increased charges come after the finalisation of its pricing framework for 2026–2030 as part of the next phase of its Masterplan 2040.

Between 2004 and 2021, Dublin Port absorbed fluctations with a flat pricing rate, but the company said the port had seen a significant increase in pricing and borrowing in recent years, with average annual capital investment set to increase from €65 million (2015–2024) to €170 million between 2025 and 2030.

A spokesperson for Dublin Port said: "The dual impact of construction inflation combined with the commencement of the second project of Masterplan 2040 has resulted in the requirement for a significant increase in both market pricing and borrowings.

"Continued investment at this scale is essential to maintain capacity and resilience at a Port that already facilitates €165bn of trade each year.

"The updated Port charges, including the introduction of an infrastructure levy from 2026, are necessary to fund this investment and ensure Dublin Port can continue to support Ireland’s trade and economic growth.

"While we recognise that the increase presents challenges for customers, the changes should be viewed against the substantial economic value the Port enables, and they are not expected to have an inflationary impact."