Dublin Port has commissioned new cold chain infrastructure in its "common user area" at Alexandra Quay East. The project includes four purpose-built steel reefer gantries operated under an eight-year licence agreement with Doyle Shipping Group at the DSG container terminal.
Reefer gantries are elevated steel structures that provide electrical power to refrigerated containers stacked within container terminals. The newly installed structures provide 140 built-in power outlets, allowing containers to remain plugged in while maintaining temperature control. Units can be stacked up to five high. A new substation is being constructed to supply power to the expanded capacity.
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Doyle Shipping Group operates one of three Lift On Lift Off terminals at Dublin Port. In 2025, the Port recorded its busiest LoLo year, with volumes increasing by 9 per cent compared with 2024.
The infrastructure supports temperature-controlled cargo, including fruit and beverages. Direct EU services into Dublin have increased since Brexit, contributing to higher demand for refrigerated capacity.
Peter Burke T.D., Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, stated: "Many of Ireland's key exports depend on reliable cold-chain logistics, particularly the Irish dairy export sector, which reached a record €7.3 billion in 2025, a 14% increase on prior years. The EU remains our largest market, accounting for 38% of dairy exports, with the UK consistently our top single-country destination. Much of this trade passes through Dublin Port, with multiple daily services directly linking Ireland, the EU, and the UK. I welcome the delivery of projects such as this, which help safeguard quality, support exporters, and keep trade moving."
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Cormac Kennedy, Head of Commercial and Programme Management Office at Dublin Port Company, said: "We are delighted to work with Wills Bros, Doyle Shipping Group, and our Port team to complete this project. It is one of a number of key projects underway to enhance the customer experience at Dublin Port. We currently have 12 projects on site, with a further 23 across feasibility and design stages projects in train, ranging from Ireland's largest maritime construction project at Berths 52/53 to operational upgrades such as the recent improvements to electronic signposting across the Port and these reefer facilities.
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Glen O'Connor, CEO at Doyle Shipping Group, added: "Reefer gantries supply safe, continuous electrical power to refrigerated containers during dwell time in port. These new structures are engineered for high-density stacking (up to five high), reducing land use per unit. Direct EU services into Dublin have increased significantly post-Brexit, shifting traffic patterns and raising demand for temperature-controlled capacity.
"We are pleased to offer these additional spaces to customers importing or exporting temperature-sensitive goods. They also strengthen operational resilience by keeping reefers on-temperature during adverse weather or sailing disruptions, helping avoid waste and protecting product quality."
For more information:
Dublin Port Company
Tel: +353 1 887 6000
www.dublinport.ie
