A ship awaiting repair, at Falmouth Docks. The great natural harbour at Falmouth was first exploited in the late 17th century. For more than a hundred years, until the early 19th century, the town was a station for the mail packet service, which carried mail to the Americas and the Mediterranean. Today, the docks are still an important centre for ship repairs, but otherwise the town's main industry is tourism.

Dublin docks, the largest in Ireland, are situated at the mouth of the River Liffey. The docks handle hundreds of thousands of tonnes of freight every year. There are also car ferry services from Dublin to Holyhead, Wales, and to Liverpool, England.