Discussions are ongoing around potential plans to sail 5,000 calves weekly to the continent on a walk-on, walk-off ship in spring 2025.

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that the calves would be bedded and fed on-board the ship and the privately-owned carrier would make one shipment per week to the Netherlands. The boat would be permanently docked in Ireland, with Waterford the most likely location for it to sail out of. In the off-season there are plans for cattle to be transported on the vessel.

At the recent AGM of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA), president Denis Drennan said members of the organisation viewed the ship in late November. He added that “hopefully this will be a positive step for spring 2025”.

During the busiest weeks of spring, up to 15,000 calves are exported from Ireland weekly, meaning this could alleviate pressure on road transport.