Ireland's Two RoRo Gateways
Together, Dublin Port and Rosslare Europort handle the overwhelming majority of Ireland's roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) freight. Since Brexit, both have invested heavily in customs infrastructure to handle the new declarations regime — and the routing balance between them has shifted permanently.
This guide walks through what exporters and importers need to know about both ports.
Dublin Port — The Capital's Gateway
Dublin Port handles around two-thirds of Irish RoRo traffic. Its main GB route is Dublin → Holyhead, operated by multiple ferry companies. Direct EU sailings now run to Cherbourg, Roscoff, Zeebrugge, Rotterdam and Liverpool (Birkenhead).
Key facilities
- Border Control Post (BCP) at the Tom Crean Terminal — agri-food and SPS goods are inspected here
- Customs office for physical examinations and document checks
- Direct rail link to the inland midlands distribution network
What happens on departure
For trucks heading to GB:
- Driver/haulier holds a valid GMR from GVMS (UK side)
- Irish Revenue AEP export entry is filed by the exporter's agent
- Goods cleared for export — truck boards the ferry
- On arrival in GB, declaration is matched and goods released (or directed to inspection)
Rosslare Europort — The Direct-EU Specialist
Rosslare Europort, on Ireland's southeast coast, has been the biggest winner from Brexit. Pre-2021, around 90% of its traffic went via the GB land bridge. Today, direct sailings to France, Spain and Belgium account for the majority of its freight movements.
Why traders shifted to Rosslare
- No GB customs — goods stay inside the EU end-to-end
- No TCA origin worries — the goods never leave the single market
- Predictable schedules — direct sailings to Cherbourg, Dunkirk, Bilbao
- Lower paperwork — single EU intra-community movement, not two customs entries
What's needed for Rosslare departures
- For EU destinations: no customs declaration (single market movement)
- For GB destinations (via Pembroke/Fishguard ferry): UK import declaration + GMR
The Irish Revenue System (AEP)
On the export side, declarations to Irish Revenue are filed through AEP — Automated Entry Processing. This is the EU's standard customs system and accepts UCC (Union Customs Code) data formats. We file AEP entries on behalf of Irish exporters whenever goods leave for non-EU destinations (i.e. mainly GB).
For goods coming into Ireland from non-EU origins, AEP is also used for the import side.
Common Mistakes at Irish Ports
- No GMR generated — the truck arrives at port but cannot board because the GB side isn't ready
- Origin not declared — TCA preference lost, 0% duty becomes the UK Global Tariff rate
- Wrong commodity code — declaration rejected, truck stranded
- No health certificate for agri-food — goods held at GB BCP
How We Help
We handle both the Irish AEP export side and the UK CDS import side for trucks moving between Ireland and Great Britain. For direct sailings to the EU, we advise on whether any customs work is needed at all — often it isn't, and we'll tell you that straight up.
Get in touch for a route-specific quote.