New jetty in next stage of Dublin Port's Masterplan 2040
Updated / Wednesday, 10 Jul 2019 13:27
Dublin Port is on course for a fifth successive record year of growth
By Will Goodbody
A new roll-on roll-off (RoRo) jetty, the lengthening of an existing river berth and the redevelopment of a deep-water container berth are among measures contained in a new planning application to be lodged for Dublin Port.
If approved, the Dublin Port Company's plans will see phased development work take place on land owned by it in the northeast of the existing campus.
The organisation says if it were building the project today, the estimated cost would be €320 million.
But it says the ultimate cost of the works will depend on planning and other consent conditions to be determined, a detailed site investigation and on construction inflation.
The so-called MP2 Project development represents the second stage of three contained in the port's Masterplan 2040.
Dublin Port is on course for a fifth successive record year of growth, driven by both rising imports and exports.
The redevelopment is necessary, according to Dublin Port, because of the level of future projected demand and because it will take 15 years to complete the work.
The port authorities say the project will provide additional capacity of almost a third of the projected increase in RoRo and load-on load-off (LoLo) traffic.
A new jetty is the next stage of Dublin Port's Masterplan 2040 pic.twitter.com/Oa7vcePIMf
— RTÉ Business (@RTEbusiness) July 10, 2019
Capacity to take in growing ships will also be improved.
Among the key measures for which a 15-year planning permission is being sought are:
A new open structure RoRo jetty for ferries up to 240m in length
A reorientation of Berth 52
A lengthening of an existing river berth to provide the Container Freight Terminal with additional capacity to handle larger container ships. These works will include the infilling of the basin east of the now virtually redundant Oil Berth 4 on the Eastern Oil Jetty
The redevelopment and future-proofing of Oil Berth 3 as a future deep-water container berth for the Container Freight Terminal
Consolidation of passenger terminal buildings, demolition of redundant structures and buildings, and removal of connecting roads
Dublin Port Chief Executive Eamonn O'Reilly
"Within the MP2 Project, we are readying ourselves to re-purpose our oil importation facilities," said Eamonn O'Reilly, Chief Executive of Dublin Port Company.
"As petroleum imports decline in future years, the MP2 Project will allow us to turn oil berths into container berths."
Consultation has already taken place with the local community, Government departments, customers, State agencies and other public bodies, the company says.
But as part of the planning process, public information days will take place in local areas in the coming weeks where visitors will be able to see the plans, beginning on 23 July.
The proposals also include a new public "heritage zone" at the east end of the port with a new structure that will have a viewing deck and a small performance space below.
Artist's impression of the 'heritage zone'
A €1m trust fund will also be put in place to enable Dublin City Council to develop a city farm near the port, as part of a Community Gain initiative, if the application is approved.
A second €1m trust fund will also be opened for the school closest to the site, St Joseph's Co-Ed primary school in East Wall.
Dublin Port Company
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