Dublin Port invests in new Seafarers’ Centre

DUBLIN Port Company has opened a new state-of-the-art Seafarers’ Centre at Dublin Port following a €500,000 investment in the facility.

The new Seafarers’ Centre was unveiled at an official opening attended by guest of honour, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Mayor, Cllr Críona Ní Dhálaigh, who is also Honorary Admiral of Dublin Port.

The Seafarers’ Centre is designed to breathe new life into the site of the old Odlums flour mill. Housed in the former Odlums workers’ canteen, which had been in use up to the mill’s closure in 2012, the centre now provides a base for vital services to sailors docking in the port, an essential workforce of the city’s economy.

Features of the old canteen building such as decking, beams and the original exterior wall have been retained and preserved as part of the new design.

As Dublin Port’s first custom-built Seafarers’ Centre, it will support over 7,500 visiting sailors a year arriving from all over the world, typically from countries such as India, China, Ukraine, Russia and the Philippines.

In addition to Dublin Port’s €500,000 investment, the International Transport Workers’ Federation has committed €55,000 in funding towards the completion of the centre, helping to support its role in representing the best interests of transport workers globally.   

Features of Dublin Port’s purpose-built Seafarers’ Centre include free Wi-Fi access for sail-ors to contact family and loved ones while ashore, cooking and dining facilities, and a relax-ation and recreation space with  a pool table, library and a TV den with beanbags. 

The Lord Mayor commended Dublin Port for creating such a welcoming facility for the thou-sands of seafarers who visit our shores and make a valuable contribution to the city and so-ciety.

“It’s wonderful to see the Catholic Apostleship of the Sea and the Anglican Mission to Seafarers working in tandem to continue their respective traditions of caring for seafarers, and providing these workers with a home from home,” she said.

The Chief Executive of Dublin Port Company, Eamonn O’Reilly, added: “We are delighted to open Dublin Port’s new purpose-built Seafarers’ Centre. It means that Dublin Port can pro-vide sailors working thousands of miles from home with a space to rest, socialise and connect with family and friends under the care of Stella Maris and the Flying Angel. The centre is a fine example of sustainable development in practice at Dublin Port. Odlums is an iconic part of Dublin Port’s industrial heritage, and that makes today’s opening particularly special.”