Dublin Port unveils €600 million expansion project

01 Mar 2012 - Port Planning

The Dublin Port Company has announced that it will invest €600 million over the next 30 years in Dublin Port. Image: Simon Huguet | Wikimedai Commons

•  €600 million redevelopment plan will see Dublin's capacity double by 2040

• Proposals include construction of new €30 million cruise terminal

Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, has today unveiled a new €600 million redevelopment plan for Dublin Port.

The 30-year project will see the doubling of the port’s cargo handling capacity, to 60 million tonnes by 2040, and the construction of a new €30 million cruise terminal.

The new cruise facility will be adjacent to the east of the East Link Bridge, and will be able to accommodate over 135,000 passengers and almost 90 cruise liners each season.

The Dublin Port Company has already committed to investing €110m over the first five years of the Masterplan period.

“This is a comprehensive plan for the long-term development of Dublin Port on its current site,” said Varadkar.

“As Ireland’s most important port, Dublin Port is a vital part of our national infrastructure. It has a significant role to play in growing exports, growing jobs, and also in growing tourism, with 87 cruise ships calling last year. This Masterplan follows a detailed consultation process and will ensure that Dublin Port continues to make a real contribution to the local economy, and to our export-led recovery.”

According to the Dublin Port Company, the initial investment under the Masterplan will be focused on maximizing the use of the port’s existing capacity.

Included in this will be the build of a dedicated car storage compound on a site between East Wall Road and the Dublin Port Tunnel to free up valuable space for port activity.

Projects involving reclamation will only be advanced if and when they become necessary and if they can meet exacting planning and environmental protection standards, say the Dublin Port Company.

The Masterplan has also identified the potential for rail freight to grow over the next 30 years using Dublin Port’s direct rail connections to all major train stations in Ireland. The use of the existing port rail network already removes 4,000 trucks from Irish roads each year.

The redevelopment plans for Ireland’s largest port follows a year-long consultation with business, community, industry and government stakeholders.