Middlegate Europe is expanding its groupage and full-load services to and from Ireland, with two weekly departures from Rotterdam and Zeebrugge direct into Dublin and Cork. The expansion comes through a new partnership with an established Irish logistics company — together bringing 60 years of experience to the corridor.

Door-to-door control, on two floors

The service is built around a simple idea: total control on door-to-door deliveries, managed by one team on each side of the water.

What makes the approach different is the equipment. We are sending double-deck trailers into Ireland, shipping on two floors with 3.4 metres of internal height. That means up to 24 loading metres in a single truck — more freight per movement, fewer trucks on the road, and a saving in both CO2 and cost that flows straight through to the rate.

Loading on two floors is where the difference shows on price and service. More cargo per sailing lets us offer the best price in the market, without cutting corners on transit time or handling.

For shippers, the practical offer is straightforward: regular fixed departures, groupage for part loads, full loads when you need the whole truck, and one partner accountable from collection to delivery.

The Ireland corridor is growing — and Zeebrugge with it

Our expansion lands at the right moment. Freight demand between mainland Europe and Ireland keeps climbing, and the infrastructure is following.

Finnlines has added a second vessel to its Rosslare–Zeebrugge service, now running three departures per week each way with around 260 trailers per ship. CLdN has opened additional container capacity from Zeebrugge to Ireland to relieve pressure on its ro-ro services. And Port of Antwerp-Bruges is investing €8.7 million in a new linkspan for mega ro-ro vessels at Quay 113 in Zeebrugge’s outer harbour.

Direct sailings from the continent let Irish freight bypass the UK landbridge entirely — no transit declarations, no double border crossing. More capacity means more routing options and better schedule resilience for everyone using the corridor.

Built on an asset-based operation

Middlegate Europe has operated from Zeebrugge since 1989. Family-owned from the start, we run our own fleet of 120+ tractors and 220+ trailers, backed by 42,000+ sqm of bonded and free-circulation warehousing across Zeebrugge, Liege and Hull and an in-house customs team.

That base is what makes the Ireland service work. Trailers are ours, drivers are ours, and stock can be consolidated, cleared and dispatched from warehouses minutes from the berths. When capacity on the corridor grows, we can commit equipment to it from day one.

Come and try our Irish service. Two departures a week, Dublin and Cork, groupage or full load — our team will price your flows and get the first shipment moving.