THINGS NEVER BETTER AT DUBLIN PORT - Dublin Port Company is reporting that more and more tonnage passing is through the port and profits are on the up and up. Operating profits were up 36.2% last year to €25.5m.
Some 30 million tonnes of goods passed through the port in 2006, again up almost 9% on the previous year. And that trend is continuing into 2007 as staff numbers fall to under 200 people.
On the issue of a proposed new port at Bremore, near Balbriggan, Dublin Port chief executive Enda Connellan says he would not necessarily oppose the development.
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NEWS IN BRIEF - ICG group, which owns Irish Ferries, has issued first half results. They show a massive leap in profits from €2.6m last year to 16.4m this year. The 2006 figure was severely down because of the industrial action at Irish Ferries.
The company says 2005 is a better comparison year for the first half and says the volume of cars carried in the first six months of 2007 was 7% up on the same period in 2005 at 173,000 cars.
The company is also the subject of competing takeover bids to take it private, in a battle that's dragged on since March. The total cost to the company to date comes in at €16.5m.
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This morning the Tokyo share index fell 2% on concerns its largest export market, the US, is sliding towards recession.
The euro is now worth $1.378 and just under 67.9 pence sterling.
