New charges at Dublin Port could affect food and fuel costs

Ottoline Spearman

New charges at Dublin Port could drive up the cost of food, fuel and construction materials.

New tariffs will include a five per cent increase in the price of a container and €15 infrastructure charge, which will make containers 46 per cent more expensive.

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.

The Irish Road Hauliers Association has slammed management at Dublin Port for imposing the charges, saying it will 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."

Dublin Port Company said it had finalised its pricing framework for 2026–2030, the Irish Examiner reported.

The company said the port had seen a significant increase in pricing and borrowing, with average annual capital investment set to increase from €65 million (2015–2024) to €170 million between 2025 and 2030.

This announcement comes as Dublin Port Company’s pre-tax profits increased by 2.6 per cent to €35.9 million.