The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) said it suspects the semi-state company of being involved in breaches of competition law.
Dublin Port handled 35.6m tonnes of goods last year and saw 7,228 ship arrivals. It handles more than 90pc of Irish goods going to Britain.
“The investigation concerns suspected anti-competitive practices in the provision of port infrastructure at Dublin Port and/or the provision of port towage services at Dublin,” the watchdog said.
“These services are crucial for the safe navigation and operation of vessels, and therefore for the efficiency of trade and transport in the region.”
The CCPC said the probe is ongoing, so it cannot comment any further.
Tonnage throughput last year was down 3.1pc on 2022
Dublin Port Company, whose chief executive is Barry O’Connell, acknowledged that the probe had been initiated.
“We are fully committed to assisting the CCPC throughout the investigation,” said a spokesperson.
“As this is an ongoing matter, Dublin Port Company will not be making any further comment at this time. We remain dedicated to upholding the highest standards of service and compliance across all our operations.”
In a 2013 report, the then Competition Authority said it had previously received complaints about competition issues related to a number of issues at Irish ports, including the provision of stevedoring and towage services.
There had also been complaints related to charges levied by port authorities on shipping lines and prices charged by shipping lines.
“The Competition Authority did not take legal proceedings in any of these cases, though in one instance the Competition Authority formed the preliminary view that the actions of some port services providers were anti-competitive,” it noted in that report.
“However, the matter was settled when the parties undertook to change their behaviour.”
Dublin Port Company generated revenue of €101.4m last year, unchanged on 2022. It made €29.5m profit after tax in 2023, down nearly 29pc on 2022.
Tonnage throughput last year, which was down 3.1pc on 2022, mirrored the performance of the overall economy, noted the company in its annual report published during the summer.
“The decline reflected a general slowdown in economic activity, both in Ireland and internationally, driven by significant increases in inflation, higher interest rates and political instability due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the conflict in Israel and Gaza towards the end of the year,” it added.
