CSO figures report 2,557 vessels arrived in Irish ports in Q1 this year, compared to 2,488 in Q1 last year.
Dublin Port handled 58pc of vessel arrivals and 47pc of total tonnage in the first three months.
England and Wales accounted for 29pc of tonnage, while EU countries handled 48pc.
Goods forwarded from Irish ports totalled four million tonnes, with nine millioon tonnes received in Q1.
Greenore in Co Louth became a main statistical port, joining Bantry Bay, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Rosslare, Shannon Foynes, and Waterford.
