Vessel operators on the Irish Sea face a tough winter, despite this year's seasonal peak and a slowing of volume decline, reports Isabel Lesto

Between July and September, Ireland recorded its seventh consecutive quarter of volume decline. Moreover, the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) predicts that weaker domestic consumer demand is likely to continue to suppress imports and the strength of the euro against the dollar and sterling will continue to put pressure on exports to key markets.

Adding to these challenges will be the expected increases in fuel and bunker costs over the winter - the price of bunker fuel has already doubled since the beginning of the year, from $US229 to more than $460 per tonne.

In line with the seasonal peak, the number of laden import containers rose 5% month-on-month in September, while exports were up 22%. IMDO director Glenn Murphy attributes this to a combination of Christmas demand and restocking of low inventory.

However, over the third quarter, volumes of laden containers fell 20%, compared with a 12% decline a year earlier, and the IMDO forecasts a total fall of 23% in container volumes by the end of the year, bringing volumes back to 2004 levels.