Dublin Port Plans Large Fee Increases to Fund Infrastructure Upgrades
To fund expansion and infrastructure upgrades, Ireland’s Dublin port has proposed a massive hike in its port fees starting next year. The fees would increase an over 40 percent for container charges, a move that shippers have criticized as an added tax on businesses in Ireland. The port’s owner, Dublin Port Company, defends the increase, arguing that the seaport is running close to capacity and must make critical investments.
“As a self-financing entity, it is required to raise charges to cover capital expenditures. Again, the charges have been flat for two decades, albeit modest increases in recent years,” commented Barry O'Connell, CEO of Dublin Port Company.
O'Connell further noted that the port had a small capital spend between 2004 and 2021, hence, no fee review was undertaken during the period. The annual capital spend between 2015 and 2024 was $75 million. However, this is expected to rise to $198 million for the period 2025-2030, an increase of about 160 percent.
The proposed port fees review plans a five percent increase to the base price of a 40ft container, adding $2.13 to the current cost. For context, the current price is $44.74 for unaccompanied containers. In addition, a new $17 infrastructure charge has been added, effectively raising container charges by 46 percent. Therefore, the overall charges per container will rise to around $62 in 2026.
With these charges, Dublin Port is hoping to raise over $1 billion for infrastructure work planned by the end of this decade. The port expansion is being implemented under the Masterplan 2040. Some of the earmarked projects include the construction of a new container terminal with capacity for 612,000 TEUs. Another major project re-integrating the port to Dublin City, which will involve the construction of a new access road and bridge across the River Liffey, helping to decongest truck traffic from local roads.
But the Irish Road Haulage Association said that the hike in port fees will be disproportionately borne by consumers at a time when the cost of living is already high. “It’s an attack on every home in Ireland. It’s going to be seen in every shopping basket and every shopping trolley,” said Ger Hyland, President of the Irish Road Haulage Association.
Dublin reported that it handled a total of 35.2 million tons of cargo in 2024. The port has a large portion of RoRo volume and, in addition, handled just over 800,000 lift-off containers last year.
China’s Container Trade Surges as Two Ports Set New Record Totaling 90M TEU
Despite a year of turbulent trade policies and interruptions, China’s container volumes are continuing to surge. Two of the country’s largest port complexes have set new records after just 11 months, combined handling over 90 million TEU so far in 2025.
The Port of Shanghai, which highlights that it has maintained the top global ranking for 16 years, has once again surpassed the 50 million TEU threshold. It is the second consecutive year the port complex reached these levels, but officials point out the port is about a month ahead of last year’s levels. The 50 millionth container moved through the port on November 26.
Port officials did not release a forecast for the full year. But even with December typically being a slower month, the port has been averaging over 4 million TEU a month this year. For 2024, the port said it had set a record at 51.5 million TEU, which looks like they will exceed this year.
The management of the port highlights that they continue to invest in the operations and that the focus has moved from expanding the physical assets to restructuring the entire operational landscape. They highlight that it has been critical to help maintain the growth and become more important for the future.
Instead of operating as isolated terminals, they say the port operates more like a single, synchronized site. The main port is highly automated, and they are working to integrate the operations with the legacy terminals upriver.
Technology plays a critical role, with the complex using remote-controlled cranes, unnamed yard vehicles, and AI-driven planning tools. They point to an integrated port management and control system that acts as the central nervous system, allocating equipment, sequencing operations, and balancing capacity in real time. Systems including digital twins, high-precision positioning, and F5G networks have all become part of the daily operations, with AI supervision overseeing what once took layers of human intervention.
Ningbo-Zhoushan marked its first 40 million TEU mark on December 2 (Port Authority)
Equally impressive is the dramatic growth in the Ningo-Zhoushan Port in eastern China. On December 2, the port handled its 40 millionth TEU in 2025. It was the first time the port had reached this level. For all of 2024, the complex handled approximately 39.3 million TEUs.
Officials highlight that the port’s rate of growth continues to accelerate. A relative newcomer to the industry compared to established ports such as Shanghai, the complex took seven years to grow from 10 to 20 million TEU and another six years to reach 30 million TEU. It reached 40 million TEU in just four years, and they assert that based on total cargo tonnage, it is the only port to handle more than 1 billion tonnes annually for 16 consecutive years.
The Ningbo-Zhoushand port complex is now linked, they said, to more than 300 container shipping routes with 600 ports in 200 countries and regions. It now operates over 210 berths for ships above 10,000 tons, and that includes 135 berths for vessels over 50,000 tonnes.
Port of Long Beach to Name Long-Time Executive Hacegaba Next CEO
The Port of Long Beach (California) revealed today that it plans to name long-time executive and well-known industry figure Dr. Noel Hacegaba as the port’s next Chief Executive Officer as of the new year. With nearly 16 years of experience with the port, Hacegaba succeeds Mario Cordero, who will step down at year’s end.
Hacegaba is well-known in the industry, having first joined the Port of Long Beach in July 2010 with a background in trade and supply chains. He rose through the ranks, becoming Deputy Executive Director in 2018 and Chief Operating Officer in March 2023.
In announcing the decision to elevate Hacegaba to the CEO role, the port noted that in recent years, he has supported the CEO in critical issues ranging from the response to the pandemic-era global supply chain disruptions to directing the Business Recovery Task Force and coordinating with industry, labor, and government partners to keep cargo moving. He also spearheaded the port’s Supply Chain Information Highway, a digital platform designed to improve cargo visibility and data sharing across the national freight network.
Hacegaba has negotiated several major business transactions, including the multibillion-dollar sales of Long Beach Container Terminal and Total Terminals International. In his role as Chief Operating Officer, for nearly three years, he has overseen daily operations including commercial services, engineering, finance and administration, planning and environmental affairs, and strategic advocacy.
Dr. Noel Hacegaba (Port of Long Beach)
“Noel Hacegaba is the ideal choice to lead the Port of Long Beach,” said Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “Noel brings extensive experience managing all key Port functions, deep knowledge of the goods movement industry, and a collaborative leadership style that will serve the port well as we navigate future challenges and opportunities.”
A graduate of the University of Southern California, Hacegaba holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in economics, business administration, and planning, and also earned a doctorate in public administration from the University of La Verne.
Speaking after his selection, Hacegaba said he is excited to lead the port’s stellar staff as they work to strengthen the nation’s supply chain and build the port of the future. He said they would be focusing on accelerating the economic engine as they elevate the port’s profile internationally by delivering world-class infrastructure and customer service and industry-leading sustainability programs.
He takes the leadership of the port and container shipping industry is facing increasing uncertainties. While volume is up over 4 percent for the first 10 months of 2025, it has been impacted by the fluctuating tariffs and trade policies. Year-over-year volume has fallen off sharply this fall, with forecasts that container volumes will remain low well into 2026.
The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners is set to make the appointment official at its next meeting on December 8. Hacegaba will assume the CEO position as of January 1, 2026.
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