DUBLIN, Ireland: The amount of goods shipped from Ireland to the EU on ferries that avoid travel through Britain have increased by 50 percent in the past six months, according to official data.

Statistics released by the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) show large volumes of exports from Ireland to the EU did not travel on the traditional routes between Dublin and Britain, as 32 new ferry services link Ireland directly to ports, including Le Havre, Cherbourg and Dunkirk in France, and Zeebrugge in Belgium.

In the first three quarters of 2021, freight from Dublin to Liverpool and Holyhead in Anglesey was down 19 percent in the first three-quarters of 2021, compared with 2020. More dramatically, freight decreased by 30 percent on the two routes from Rosslare in south-east Ireland to the Welsh ports of Pembroke and Fishguard.

"It is clear that the new trading arrangements between Ireland and the UK have had a significant and negative effect upon ro-ro [roll-on roll-off lorry haulage] freight traffic between the two countries," according to the IMDO report. "Underpinning all of these trends are the new customs and trading arrangements between Ireland and the UK that came into force on 1 January 2021," it added.

"One-third of all ro-ro in the Republic of Ireland now operates on direct routes to ports in the European Union, up from a 16 percent share in 2019," the IMDO said.

Further, data for the second and third quarters of 2021 indicate that freight shipped from Ireland directly to the EU is up by 52 percent, compared with all of 2019.

At the same time, the drop in Ireland's demand for ferry services to Wales and Liverpool has resulted in Northern Irish ports reporting freight volumes reaching "unprecedented highs in 2021".

Prior to Brexit, Northern Irish freight was often sent on the Dublin-Holyhead route as the quickest way to reach the south and south-east of England. However, some exporters from Northern Ireland now send freight directly from Northern Ireland "to avoid the new customs requirements involved between Ireland and UK ports", the reports said.

Information recently released saw an increase in traffic in Northern Ireland's three ports, with a 15 percent rise in Belfast, 18 percent in Larne and 20 percent at Warrenpoint.

Further, prior to Brexit there were 12 direct ferries from Ireland to France. However, that number has not jumped to 44 ferries.

Just recently, Rosslare Europort, located in County Wexford, reported its busiest day in its history.

Explaining such large increases in exports, Rosslare general manager Glenn Carr said, "In particular industries, we're definitely seeing where traditionally a lot of goods were sourced in the UK or exported to the UK, there's been a switch to Europe," he told journal.ie.

"We definitely see it in the port, in terms of the mix of goods that are there now ingredients, food, dairy, pharmaceuticals."