IMDO publishes Unitised Traffic Report Q2 2026

Unitised traffic on the island of Ireland recorded growth of 3% during the second quarter of 2026. RoRo volumes in the Republic of Ireland increased by 5% year-on-year. In Northern Ireland, RoRo throughput was steady at 234,981 units (234,069 Q2 25). The port of Cork recorded strong growth of RoRo throughput (+29% + 542 units) in Q2. The rate of growth on ROI-EU routes exceeded growth on ROI – GB routes in Q2 (+7% vs +4%). The distribution of All Island RoRo remains in line with previous quarters.

An additional RoRo service commenced this quarter at the port of Larne. The new Larne – Isle of Man service is operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet company on vessel Ben-My-Chree. According to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, the Larne service will operate three times per week year-round. During the peak season, two additional weekly services to Dublin will increase the company’s total number of sailings to the island of Ireland to five per week.

LoLo traffic continued its upward trajectory in Q2 2026. ROI ports handled 345,567 TEU in Q2, a 2% increase relative to the same quarter last year. When viewed over a longer horizon, second quarter LoLo volumes have risen from approximately 310,000 TEU in Q2 2022 to almost 346,000 TEU in Q2 2026. This is the highest Q2 LoLo total recorded by the IMDO and reflects a consistent expansion rather than a sudden shift. In Northern Ireland, Belfast port recorded robust LoLo growth of 8% (+4,453 TEU).

Taken together, Q2 2026 continues the pattern observed in recent years: a stable RoRo market and a steady upward trend in LoLo traffic supported by robust consumption in the Irish economy.

The domestic economy is forecast to continue growing, although the outlook remains subject to considerable uncertainty. According to the Central Bank of Ireland’s latest Quarterly Bulletin, Modified Domestic Demand is projected to increase by 3.3% in 2026. Growth is expected to be supported by strong investment, particularly in AI and data-centre-related capital goods, offsetting weaker consumption as higher energy prices weigh on household incomes. Employment is forecast to grow by 1.2% in 2026, while unemployment is projected to rise modestly to 5.1%. HICP inflation is forecast to increase from 2.1% in 2025 to 3.5% in 2026, largely reflecting higher energy prices associated with the conflict in the Middle East and disruption to the Strait of Hormuz.

Passenger volumes declined at both NI and ROI ports in Q2 2026. NI ports handled 557,814 passengers, falling below the Q2 2019 level of 586,247 after surpassing it in Q2 2025. Passenger throughput at ROI ports also remained below its pre-pandemic level, approximately 90,000 passengers short of the 756,438 recorded in Q2 2019. Passenger vehicle traffic declined year-on-year by 7% at ROI ports and 5% at NI ports. The IMDO will continue to monitor these trends as part of its quarterly assessment of Ireland’s maritime sector.

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