Why Dublin Port Matters
Dublin Port is Ireland's largest gateway, handling more than 50% of the country's roll-on roll-off (RoRo) freight. Most consignments from Great Britain, mainland Europe and beyond arrive here. If you are importing into Ireland, the chances are you will deal with Dublin Port customs procedures at some point.
The Three Terminals
Dublin Port has three main RoRo / freight terminals:
- Terminal 1 (Stena Line) — Holyhead, Liverpool, Cherbourg
- Terminal 2 (Irish Ferries) — Holyhead, Cherbourg, Pembroke
- Terminal 3 / Container — deep-sea container traffic (CMA CGM, MSC, Maersk and others)
Each terminal has its own arrival procedures, but customs declarations are lodged the same way — through Revenue's AIS for imports and AES for exports.
Pre-Boarding Notifications (PBN)
For RoRo freight arriving from Great Britain, hauliers must submit a Pre-Boarding Notification (PBN) to Revenue before boarding the ferry. The PBN links all customs declarations and safety & security data for a single truck movement to one reference.
Without a valid PBN reference number, the ferry operator will not allow the truck to board in GB.
Customs Routing at Dublin
When a truck arrives in Dublin with a PBN:
- Green channel — proceeds directly to delivery, no customs intervention.
- Orange channel — proceed to a designated parking area, documents reviewed by Revenue officers.
- Red channel — physical inspection at a Revenue inspection bay or at the Customs Examination Facility (CEF) in Dublin Port.
The CEF is located inside the port estate and is where Revenue conducts most physical exams of road consignments.
Timing Tips
- Lodge declarations well before the ferry departs GB. Late lodgements often trigger red routing.
- Build orange / red routing time into your logistics plan. Allow at least 4-6 hours of buffer for non-green consignments.
- Use a single haulier for the PBN. Mixing hauliers on a movement complicates the PBN.
How We Help
Our team monitors AIS lodgements in real time and is ready to respond to Revenue queries 24/7. Whether your cargo arrives at Dublin Port at 03:00 or 17:00, we are watching the inbox. Get in touch before your next shipment.