Dublin Port speeding up expansion

Irish port reports volumes increased by 5.2 percent in the first half of the year.    Dublin Port said it has revised an expansion plan to achieve higher throughput on a smaller footprint.
   The Irish port said development will be sped up, based on an average annual growth rate of 3.3 percent from 2010 to 2040 rather than the 2.5 percent originally proposed in 2012.
   Eamonn O’Reilly, the port’s chief executive, explained, “We had budgeted for growth of 5.0 percent this year but are now running at the higher rate of 5.2 percent. At this level, by the end of 2018 we will have seen growth of 37 percent in just six years. This is significantly higher than our master plan planning a growth rate of 3.3 percent and highlights the need for us to build additional port capacity at a faster rate. Where we had been planning to invest 600 million euros in the decade to 2027, we now know we need to spend 1 billion euros if we are to continue to provide capacity for our customers.”
   He added, “Our investments match those of the major shipping lines such as Irish Ferries, Stena Line and CLdN, all of whom have already or will shortly introduce new larger ships on services between Dublin and both the U.K. and Continental Europe.”
   The port said it will be expanded for ultimate capacity of 77 million gross tonnes by 2040 rather than the 60 million gross tonnes as originally proposed in 2012.
   It added, “This will be accomplished with no further infill into Dublin Bay. The option of increasing port capacity by an eastwards expansion into Dublin Bay has been definitively ruled out.” The port also has decided not to deepen the port only to 10 meters rather than 12 meters.
   Dublin Port aaid it can achieve higher throughput on a smaller footprint than originally envisaged because of development of an inland port, 14 kilometers from the port, due to open next year and because of plans to maximize use of port lands on Poolbeg peninsula. While Dublin Port is located on a peninsula on the north of the mouth of the River Liffey, the Poolbeg is located to the south.
   In the first half of the year, Dublin Port roll-on, roll-off volumes increased by 4.6 percent to 508,000 units over the same period, “signaling the likelihood that volumes for the full year will pass the 1 million units mark for the first time. The port’s container volumes increased by 5.8 percent to 356,000 TEU.”