Ireland Progresses with Port Reforms as New Deepwater Facility is Proposed
Ireland is progressing with massive reform of its port sector. Last week, the Irish government launched a final public consultation on the revision of the National Ports Policy (NPP) 2013. The government contends that the current NPP has outlived its purpose, having been installed over ten years ago. As Irish trade grows, port investments should be expedited to create new capacity.
The Irish Ports Capacity Study 2023 concluded that Ireland has sufficient port capacity up until around 2040. However, owing to the slow-pace of port development, there are serious risks of port capacity constraints. The study recommended that the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) carry out regular future capacity analyses, with a view to aligning port master plans for post-2040 development. This represents one of the policy objectives to revise the 2013 NPP.
“The government’s National Ports Policy is a landmark moment for Ireland’s maritime and trading future. The explicit support for the development of a new east coast deepwater port underscores the national importance of the Bremore port project,” said Paul Fleming, Group CEO of Drogheba Port Company.
The draft of the revised NPP has put to rest the proposals for relocating Dublin Port. Proponents for the relocation had argued that Dublin City has undergone a massive transformation in the last two decades, significantly increasing pressure on port infrastructure as well as the city's resources. With the city currently facing a housing crisis, the relocation of Dublin Port would free up huge land space for the development of thousands of new homes, proponents added.
But a report by IMDO has revealed that out of 79 stakeholders who responded to an earlier consultation on this matter, only five supported the Dublin port relocation. Based on the presented evidence and recommendations, IMDO concluded that simultaneous relocation of the port, including all the land-based infrastructure that serves the port, would be both implausible and impractical.
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However, the draft of the revised NPP has endorsed the development of a new deepwater port on the east coast to capture additional shipping growth in post-2040 trade. This gives impetus to the proposed Bremore Ireland port project in Louth County, being fronted as a joint venture between Drogheba Port Company and Ronan Group Real Estate. If the investment goes through, it would be the first deepwater port development on the east coast in more than a century.
Besides the maritime and logistics operations, Bremore Port is also proposed to serve Ireland’s green energy needs, including the emerging offshore wind sector on the east coast.
