A new charge to be introduced at Dublin Port next year is not expected to add to Irish consumer price inflation, the port’s operator has said, after hauliers strongly criticised the levies on Monday morning.
Dublin Port Company, the semi-State entity that runs Ireland’s busiest shipping hub, will raise the charge levied on unaccompanied shipping containers by 5 per cent in 2026.
It is also introducing a new €15 “infrastructure” charge, which Dublin Port Company says will help fund the next phase of its €2 billion 2040 “master plan”.
Combined, the charges, which are paid by shipping companies but are likely to be passed on to hauliers, are estimated to be just over €53 for a standard 40-foot container carrying an average €100,000 worth of goods.
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However, the charges will eventually be passed on to consumers, the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) said on Monday.
On RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland programme, IRHA president Ger Hyland described the increases as “backdoor tariffs” and called on Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien to intervene.
“It’s an attack on every home in Ireland,” Mr Hyland said. “It’s going to be seen in every shopping basket and every shopping trolley.”
He said the charges would ultimately be passed on to consumers.
Dublin Port Company said in a statement that the increases were well-flagged and were not expected to fuel consumer price inflation.
The port is set to increase its annual capital investment to €170 million over the next five years from €65 million over the preceding nine years.
In a document on its website, Dublin Port Company said charges remained flat between 2004 and 2021 and it was able to “absorb the fluctuations of the Irish economy”.
However, this was in the context of a much smaller capital investment programme, it said.
“Following consultation with our customers, 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,” a spokesman said.
“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. We remain committed to engaging with stakeholders as the implementation phase begins.”
