Port investment plan welcomed

A PLANNED investment of e200 million in the continued development and expansion of Dublin Port has been welcomed.

Dublin Port Company’s planning application with An Bord Pleanála for its Alexandra Basin Redevelopment (ABR) Project was announced last Friday (March 7).

Local information centres will be open over the coming weeks with details of the proposal plans on view.

The project involves an application for permission for phased redevelopment work on some of Dublin Port’s existing infrastructure.

Some 42 per cent of Dublin Port’s berths (3km of the port’s 7km) will be lengthened and deepened and the 10km channel from Dublin Bay to the East Link Bridge will also be deepened.

It is the first large-scale project under Dublin Port Company’s Masterplan 2012-2040 and will cost an estimated e200 million. However, Dublin Port Company has the financial resources to fund the project.

The engineering works will take place on a phased basis and are expected to take five years to complete, supporting some 200 construction related jobs in the process.

It is further estimated that the growth in volumes, which the project will facilitate, will result in 320 jobs being created annually between 2012 and 2040.

Eamonn O’Reilly, chief executive of Dublin Port Company, said the project would provide it with the infrastructure, capacity and versatility needed to future-proof Dublin Port. It will help it to cater for larger sized vessels and increased trade volumes as Ireland returns to economic growth.

“Dublin Port Company is committed to carrying out this project within our current footprint, re-developing and utilising existing port lands in the most efficient way possible, while financing the project from our own resources,

? said Mr O’Reilly.

North inner city ward councillor Nial Ring (Ind) said the creation of 200 construction jobs and many subsequent permanent jobs would provide a great boost for the Docklands, Dublin and the whole country.

“The Dublin Port team is to congratulated for the way they went about the process which involved a 12-month consultation with industry, Government, customer and community stakeholders,

? stated Cllr Ring.

“Myself and my fellow councillors were kept informed at all stages of the plan and our concerns about local jobs, community gain and involvement of the local community in the process were all listened to and addressed.

“As usual, Dublin Port takes its corporate social responsibility role seriously and arrangements have been made to allow the public to view the proposal in detail with public information days being organised.

?

Dublin Chamber of Commerce has also welcomed the redevelopment plans.

Gina Quin, chief executive, Dublin Chamber, said the long-term development of Ireland’s largest port was vital in maintaining Dublin as an internationally competitive city region.

“We are an island nation and our economic recovery will be export based, which means that we are dependent on ports to help further the economic rebound,

? said Ms Quin.

“Dublin Port is an essential part of the city region’s competitiveness architecture, providing a key channel to export markets.

?