The second phase of the new Terminal 4 (T4) at the port of Dublin became a reality this very week. Following the opening of the first phase at the end of 2023, after an investment of 127 million euros, a new surface for ro-ro traffic that cost 11.7 million euros is now being launched. The start of the third and final phase of T4 at the Irish port is planned for next year.
The port of Santander connects twice a week with that of Dublin
The terminal will be used to support the increase in unaccompanied ro-ro traffic, which represents about three-quarters of all rolled cargo through the port of Dublin. Last month, this modality grew by 5%, underscoring the need for new facilities like T4. With this expansion, around 160 new spaces for unaccompanied trailer logistics are added, resulting in approximately 100,000 more movements per year.
The land used for Terminal 4 was previously used for the storage of empty containers, operations that have since been moved to the Dublin Inland Port and other locations, as part of a drive to optimize the use of scarce port land for core operations.
With the opening of Terminal 4, the amount of Dublin port land used for non-essential business, such as the storage and warehousing of empty containers, has dropped from 40 hectares in 2018 to 8 hectares in 2025. These improvements add to the long-term vision of the port of Dublin, oriented towards sustainability, energy efficiency, and the digitalization of processes.
T4 is going to be operated by the company Doyle Shipping Group (DSG), which works directly with shipping lines on all types of cargo, facilitating the movement of containers and dry goods between Ireland, the United Kingdom, and continental Europe. This traffic includes the two weekly calls that CLdN offers from the port of Santander.
The land on which this new logistics surface sits was previously industrial, so the construction company Wills Bros, Ltd., had to excavate the old facilities, removing contaminated soil, remnants of foundations, and service conduits from the fertilizer plants that operated there in the mid-last century. This debris served as fill for approximately half of the new quay’s reclamation.
DSG reports that the new terminal also features innovative security measures, such as a camera system installed on 14 RTG cranes, aimed at reinforcing surveillance and reducing risks during loading and unloading operations.
